The Red Gold
by nicholasF
Summary: A person from our world has been reborn in the world of a song of ice and fire. If house Connington had an additional family member, what could have changed?
1. Chapter 1 - Carl 1

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

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**278, Griffin's Roost**

Griffin's Roost was on a lofty Crag jutting out from the shores of the Cape Wrath. The castle lied surrounded at three sides by cliffs which descended more than two thousand feet to the treacherous waters of the Shipbreaker Bay. It was said that the crag where Griffin's Roost was located was even taller than the infamous Casterly Rock. The land-facing approach was three leagues long ridge where on one end a gatehouse was located, and on the other end, the castle's main gate and two towers were located. The castle had a maester's tower and the lord's tower in addition of two guard towers by the castle's gatehouse. The keep and two inner towers had arched windows with myriad diamond shape red and white glasses. The halls were decorated by many tapestries, marble statues, and old full plate armors which showed the wealth of house Connington.

Jon was away at the King's Landing as usual to accompany the crown prince, Carl was getting bored. This year, Carl was eight names day old. Armond Connington, Carl's father, did not let Carl out of the castle easily. After the death of his wife who was a Myrish lady and daughter of an influential magistrate, he had grown some kind of paranoia over losing his sons which weirdly only applied to Carl and not Jon mostly. The fact that Carl looked like his mother more than his father did not help either. Carl guessed that his brown curled hair, brown eyes and olive skin reminded the man of his wife. In contrast Jon, Carl's brother, and Armond, Carl's father, both had blue eyes with red hair. These were actually the distinctive features of a Griffin of Griffin's Roost. Carl prayed to the Seven that his lord father did not blame Carl for his beloved's death, unlike some Lord Tywin Lannister, the hand of the king, whose reputation in mistreating his dwarf son had already reached the ears of those even in Griffin's Roost. Maybe Carl's looks and not being a dwarf had something with that.

Carl's schedule for as long as he could remember consisted of study, study, and study. Carl studied mathematics and geometry from morning till noon with the maester, after lunch he would study Valyrian tongue, culture, and etiquette from his milk mother, Talea, who was a freed slave servant accompanying Carl's mother from Myr. She was also Carl's motherly figure. Her husband, Rodrick, was a hedge knight at the time of the Ninepenny Kings' war. He saved Armond Connington's life during the war several times. After the war, Rodrick became a knight in service of house Connington and was made the captain of the guards of the castle. The couple had twin sons a year older than Carl, named Jasper and Josef.  
Carl had an infatuation with the stars, as a result after dusk, Carl would study astrology with the maester. Basically, he spent most hours of his days indoors well-guarded and studying. The maester was an old man who was well aged, and he was named Maester Lorent.

Because of his father's paranoia, Carl was even banned from most physical activities inside the castle. If it was not for the persistence of the Maester Lorent over the importance of outdoor activities for young children, Carl would not have ever stepped out of the lord's tower, Carl suspected. Carl was only allowed to ride his pony on the courtyard under the watch of his lord father two or three times a week less than an hour each time at best. Recently, Lord Armond was even seeing shadows in the dark where there was none. Carl's cousin, Ronald Connington, was the castellan of the keep, but he gave a bad vibe to Carl, thus Carl believed Ronald could not be trusted, especially in the situation which his father was in. Carl had expressed his worries several times to his brother, Jon, but his worries were ignored as imaginations of a child. Jon was too smitten with that silver-haired prince to even give time to his family and anything which could distract him from being with his prince would be ignored and cast aside.

In the last year, Carl was having a dream and it repeated over and over again every full moon. The dream was strange as it showed a tall and thick castle with grey walls and a single huge drum tower that pierced the sky akin to a feast. The castle was located on a point by a stormy sea. Carl did not recognize the castle, but he felt the sea was familiar somehow, the sound of the waves had a certain rhythm to it. Carl had not spoken of the dream to anyone, he felt it was his secret and it should be kept as such, it was not normal, because Carl did not have any secret from his milk mother, Talea, or milk brothers, Jasper and Josef, other than the dream.

It was dark outside, but the full moon and the starry sky was plain enough to see. Carl was seated on his bed and was looking at the moon. Tonight he would have the dream again. Carl was sure of that.  
Several knocks were heard by Carl. Carl called out, "Who is it?"  
Carl heard Talea's voice, "It is me, Carl. Can I come in?"  
Despite their closeness, Talea kept a respectful and formal tone with Carl when they were not in private. Thus, Carl always thought about how a true mother was.  
Carl replied, "Come in."  
Talea entered Carl's bedchamber, after closing the door behind her, she looked at Carl and she asked worriedly, "You seem tired, Carl. Is something bothering you? Or are you feeling ill anywhere in your body?"  
Carl put a small smile on his lips and said, "I am fine, mother. I have only had bad dreams recently. Nothing major."  
Talea raised a brow, She asked angrily, "Has Josef been telling you stories about monsters and nonsense. I swear that I would have a good talking with him and Rodrick who tells the boys such nonsense stories."  
Carl quickly replied, "No!" he hesitated, but continued, "I mean, Josef has told me these stories, but my dreams have nothing to do with them. Do not punish Josef and Ser Rodrick, mom. I actually like his stories."  
Talea sighed, she approached Carl, sat beside him, and embraced him. Carl felt relief and comfort in his mother's embrace. Maybe having a true mother is not unlike having Talea, only without polite and distant moments in public.  
Talea said, "You can tell me your dreams, Carl. I would always listen to you. You need not carry them with you. Remember Carl that every secret which one holds is like a small stone. When one holds too many secrets, their weights would crush one's soul as the accumulated weight of the small stones could break a man's back."  
There was silence and Carl started to think about his dream again. Carl thought, 'Should I tell my dream to mother. But I feel that it should not be told to anyone.'  
As Carl was debating internally, Talea continued, "But there are things which one would keep a secret. And he would not tell anyone, because once a secret is known by more than one person, it is no longer a secret, Carl."  
Carl looked at his mother and asked, "Then what about secrets which friends hold for each other."  
Talea giggled, "Like you stealing sweet pies for Jasper, you little mouse." As Talea said that she giggled Carl.  
Carl started to laugh and tried to stop his mother. Carl after freeing himself and getting distance on his mother, asked her, "How did you know?"  
Talea asked, "Did you thought no one would know, because no one came forward to tell you about it, Carl?"  
She then continued, "I got Jasper once red-handed when he was eating one of the kitchen's pies after a series of complaints from the cook. I pressured him, and he spilled the beans."  
Carl gasped, He said, "Jasper ratted me out?"  
Talea nodded, she said, "Not willingly mind you, Carl. But under the right kind and enough pressure, everyone would break. It took Jasper the presence of his mother and the future promise of a good beating. Why do you think I am telling you this, Carl?"  
Carl answered, "You are giving me an example for your previous argument."  
Talea said, "Good. It seems you are picking something of what I tell you in our sessions after lunch. If my other two sons could also be this bright, What would a mother ask in life?"  
Carl started to play with his fingers, Talea saw this action which was a telltale sign of embarrassment over being praised. Carl was a shy child after all.  
Talea ruffled Carl's hair, got up from the bed, and walked to the door of the bedchamber. As she reached for the handle, she said, "Carl, your father would like to see you before you go to bed. Make sure to go to see him immediately. You should have been sleeping already."  
Carl looked up at his mother and said, "Okay."  
Talea left the room, and Carl was alone again. Carl got up from his chair and also left the room. By the door of his chamber was an Iron Guard of Myr who was a former slave of Myr and accompanied Carl's mother to Griffin's Roost. Carl called them his shadow guard as they followed Carl like a shadow. Carl asked, "Ser Quent, my father has summoned me. Would you accompany me to his solar?"  
Ser Quent looked at Carl, and spoke, "I am not a ser, little lord. I have told you as much many times. And I live to serve you as my other brothers do. You only need to give order and we would follow them."  
Carl always became nervous with the attitude of his mother's former guards. They were not slaves anymore, but they acted like devoted ones for some unknown reason to Carl. Not that Carl had seen any other slaves, but servants and other residences of the castle talked, and Carl heard what was said when they were not paying attention. Talea had told him that the training which The Iron Guard had gone through when they were younger had certain effects and Carl should not occupy himself with such details. He should only accept their loyalties and treat them fairly. They were fifty of them and after his mother's death, they had laid their services at his father's feet as their new master. However, Carl's father charged them to only protect and follow Carl.  
Carl said meekly, "Follow me then to my father's solar."  
Carl moved out and his guard moved behind him like a shadow. Carl could not even hear the sound of the man's footsteps on the stone. Carl knew that such a cat-like movement was not normal. He had observed other guards of the castle and they were not like these fifty at all. The sound of their feet could well be heard from some distance away.  
Carl reached his father's solar. Upon seeing him, the guard opened the door and announced his presence to his lord father.  
The sound of Lord Armond Connington was heard on the hall, "Send him in."  
The guard kept the door open for Carl to enter. Carl turned and looked at his shadowy guard and said, "Remain here till I finish my business with my father."  
There was no sound of acknowledgment, but Carl knew that the man would do as he was told based on experience. Carl entered his father's solar. Lord Armond Connington was a tall man, but he was hunched over his desk as if the weight of the world was on him. His deep blue eyes eyed the corners of the room as if there were something there. He was not yet frothy, but the white hairs could be seen already in his red hair and beard.  
Carl spoke out, "Father, I have come."  
Lord Armond said, "Good, come closer my son."  
Carl approached the desk; however, he did not seat down on the chair in front of him, because he was not given permission to. It was part of the lessons from Talea on etiquette on dealing with the nobility of Westeros who had a higher standing than you. Carl's father had obviously a higher standing than Carl.  
Lord Armond informed Carl, "Tomorrow, we are going to the Storm's End. Lord Steffon Baratheon has thrown a feast for the first name's day of his third son, Renly Baratheon. He had invited lords of the Stormlands before his departure for Essos to his castle. As I am obliged to attend, you would also come with me, Carl."  
Carl nodded. Already the possibilities and many wonders which could happen in this journey were coming to Carl's mind. It would be his first time of leaving the nest, Griffin's Roost. Carl tried to keep his excitement under control and said, "Yes, father."  
Lord Armond said, "Good. Remember you would listen to me, you would not wander around, and you would be on your best behavior."  
Carl said, "Yes, father."  
Lord Armond said, "I would not expect any less of you my son than the best. Now, go and sleep, you would need it for tomorrow."  
Carl bowed and said, "Good night, father." Then he exited out of the solar.  
When Carl was out, he told his shadow guard, "We go back to my chamber, come."  
Carl was still excited about tomorrow. About what could happen and what he would see. Carl could not remember when he reached his chamber and went to bed. Only the slumber of the sleep and the usual dream was remembered by him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Carl 2

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

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**278, the Journey**

Carl was ready and everyone who was going to accompany them on this trip was gathered at the main courtyard of the castle. They were waiting for Lord Connington's order to move out. The anticipation was killing Carl. Last night the same dream came to Carl again, but this time a hallway was also shown to him. Carl could not understand why the dream had changed, but this trip may have answers.  
Jasper put a hand from behind on Carl's back, and said, "Ready for the adventure?"  
Carl jumped up and squeaked, then he turned and said, "Don't creep behind me like that, Jasper."  
Jasper laughed at Carl and said, "But your womanly shrieks were nice to hear."  
Carl furrowed his brows, he said, "My voice is not womanly, Jasper. Take back your words."  
Jasper who was four inches taller stepped forward in front of Carl in a manner which he was looming over Carl, then he asked Carl in a taunting voice, "What would you do, if I don't, Carl? Would you shriek again?"  
Carl was getting angry with Jasper's attitude, but he remembered his shadow guard. Carl threw his hand around Jasper's shoulders suddenly which startled the boy, and whispered in his ear, "Have you ever met one of my shadow guards?"  
Jasper who knew Carl's guards from Myr paled. But he put a bravado on and said, "What of them?"  
Carl replied, "They are really good, you know. I can ask nuncle Rodrick to give permission for you to train with them. I would ask the captain to train you personally, even. What do you say?"  
Jasper started to stutter from the prospect of being trained with the Iron Guard of Myr. In this time, Josef who had heard the last sentences of the conversation also arrived, Josef said, "Would you really ask father to let the Iron Guard train us? I have always wanted to be trained by them, I have heard father telling one of the knights that in fighting with a spear and shield they are the best in the world, even better than the infamous Dornish spears."  
Both Carl and Jasper were looking at Josef strangely. Josef looked at his twin and friend and asked confusedly, "What is it?"  
An evil smile came up on Carl's lips, Carl said, "I did not know you both were so enthusiastic about learning how to fight from my Iron Guard. Then, I would make sure to ask your father, Josef. He would not deny his lord's son, no worries."  
As Carl said all that he was looking at Jasper evilly. At the same time, Josef was really enthusiastic about the prospect of training with the Iron Guard. The Carl's smile told enough what hell he was going to arrange for twins as a training. It would be hell for Jasper mostly, as Josef was so eager to train to become a warrior.  
At this moment Lord Armond arrived. His black stallion was ready and saddled for him. Lord Armond mounted his horse and ordered the procession to move.  
Lord Armond commanded Carl, "Come ride with me, Carl."  
Carl mounted his pony with the help of one of his always present shadow guard. Carl's pony was white and brown. Carl nudged his pony and moved his pony forward beside his father at the head of the procession. Two of Carl's shadow guards moved their horses behind them.  
As they exited the main gatehouse of the castle, Carl looked at the long ridge which connected Griffin's Roost from the crag where it was located to the Red Mountains to the west up close and personal for the first time, not from the castle's towers and battlements.  
Carl's father asked, "Do you know the importance of this ridge, Carl?"  
Carl nodded, "This ridge is the only land-facing approach to our castle, as the tall Crag which Griffin's Roost is located on is surrounded by sea in three directions. Besides because of the steep slopes, no army could approach the castle from any direction but this ridge. As this ridge is narrow, ten men could stand side by side and block it, it is the most important natural defense of our castle and its only passageway. It is even more important than the battlements."  
Carl's father nodded, he told Carl, "You are correct, but you must remember that as a result, Griffin's Roost can easily be surrounded and besieged because an enemy only needs to block the ridge to cut us off from the rest of the world. Thus keeping the castle well provisioned is very important. The Storm's End where we are going to is like our own castle, only in a lower altitude, thus although Storm's End lacks a safe Anchorage, it can still be supplied by ships if need be. Griffin's Roost lacks such an option, but instead, Griffin's Roost is not vulnerable to an invading naval force."  
Carl's father continued, "Son, you must remember that in most castles and keeps the defenders need to defend the castle from all directions. It makes besieging a castle for a small army harder; however, it makes defending of the castle also more complicated when facing a larger army."  
Carl nodded, but his father added, "We would tour around the Stormlands a little bit before going back to Griffin's Roost; so, you would be able to see more of the world. I acknowledge that keeping you inside the Castle may have not been the best of actions."  
Carl became surprised by what his father said. Carl thought, 'He may let me out more often, then.'  
They made way until they reached the other side of the ridge. At the other side, there was a small gatehouse at the mouth of the ridge.  
Carl's father said, "This is the gatehouse by the mountain forest. It serves as a lookout for Griffin's Roost and a place for knights and man-at-arms of the castle to reside when patrolling in our lands in the mountains. It is important to keep the forest a mile away from the gatehouse as the trees would block the view of the lookouts. An invading army could use the cover of the trees to creep their way to our castle without alerting anyone and the gatehouse and the castle may fall to such a rouse if the defenders are not ready, son. Always remember that. As much as the forest is beautiful and is the main source of income for our house, it is also the main vulnerability of our castle."  
Carl nodded in understanding of his father's words. Carl had asked the maester once about this main vulnerability of their castle, and the answer which he received was that such a problem does exist, but the forest is important as it is the main source of their income, so a balance between security and economic needs must be made.  
However, Carl asked his father, "Why do we not expand the gatehouse to a fort father? It is harder to capture a fort and it would bolster our defenses."  
Lord Armond instead of answering his son's question asked him another question, "The costs for one, But what do you think it takes to lead a successful assault on Griffin's Roost, son?"  
Carl thought, "You would need a small and well-trained army which could move fast and surprise the defenders, or you would need a large army to storm the walls."  
Carl's father nodded, "Not bad. From our castle's main vulnerability, you were able to deduce that a small but well-trained army with surprise on their side may also be able to capture the castle if they could take the defenders by surprise. But such conditions are harder to meet than said, Carl. And storming the castle would be bloody even if you have a large enough force, you may not be able to capture Griffin's Roost at all in the end however," Carl's father paused then asked Carl again, "What strategy would you adopt, if you were the head of an army in the war and wanted to capture Griffin's Roost?"  
Carl started to think about his strategy lessons on war with the maester which occurred occasionally when Carl grew bored of mathematics and geometry. Carl answered, "I would not try to take Griffin's Roost at all. There is no merit. The castle is on a tall cliff facing the Shipbreaker bay without actually being able to access it, and there are not any critical resources near Griffin's Roost either. I would only send a token force to besiege the castle and starve out its defenders. As Griffin's Roost is so isolated there is no meaning to commit resources to capture it during a war. After the war is concluded. If I have won the war, I could deal with the defenders of the castle easily enough as they would be left alone."  
Lord Armond sighed, "It is as you said, Carl. There is really no need to capture this castle if one wants to win a war, You only need to block it with a large enough force at the valley. Now imagine if there is a fort instead of the gatehouse how are the defenders going to take it back from the attackers? Not only we would imprison ourselves, but also we would provide a good position for them to move the rest of their army with no worries."  
Lord Armond added afterward, "You should also note that the castle provides a good defending position to men who want to guard the Griffin's Valley where is the only pass through the Red Mountains connecting the Cape Wrath to the rest of the Stormlands. Cape Wrath has not always been this peaceful, Carl. And our house has not been a minor house. Dornish often invaded the cape from the Sea of Dorne to the south. Our castle was used as a lookout and last line of defense for the Storm's End and a supplying point for the Storm Kings' armies against Dornish invasions in the Cape Wrath. The Griffin's Roost is the most secure castle in all of the Cape Wrath."

Carl perked up upon hearing his father saying their house was minor, "How is our house minor, father? We control the north of the Rainwood along the southern shore of the Shipbreaker Bay. That is a lot of lands!"  
Carl's father told him, "Even Those lands are not controlled directly by us anymore. In past, before Targaryens came to rule the Seven Kingdoms our house controlled all of the north of the Cape Wrath and not only part of its northern shoreline. House Wylde of the Rain House and house Morrigen of the Crow's Nest were only landed knights sworn to Lord of Griffin's Roost. Those who are landed knights now sworn to us were once only knights who only held the lands and keeps on them for house Connington, but after the defeat of the last Storm King to Aegon the Conqueror, more than half of our lands were taken away by granting lordships to house Morrigen and Wylde. To further weaken us, the knights who held our keeps on the north of the Cape Wrath were also made landed knights. In essence, Orys Baratheon gave out lands and titles to the former subject of our house to not only gain support for his own rule but also to weaken us."  
Carl said in understanding, "I see. Do lords of Griffin's Roost still hold grudge against Baratheons, father."  
Carl's father lowered his voice, although he knew no one but the trusted guards of the house Connington could hear him, Lord Armond said with spite and distaste, "We do. The Baratheons like to connect themselves to the Storm Kings of the past, but they are only a bastard offshoot of the Targaryens."  
They rode out of the gatehouse and what Carl saw astounded him, looking down, Carl saw what looked like buildings of wood and stone near together and Carl could see people as small dots moving about.  
Carl's father sighed, "I sometimes forget you have not been out of the castle till now. That is a village son. Where did you think the families of those who work at the castle live?"  
Carl nodded and said, "I see," then he said, "Maester Lorent told me that a town is like a village but many times bigger, and a city is also the same, but many times bigger than a town. Father, how many people live in this village?"  
Carl's father replied, "It is relatively a big village because of the castle. Near a thousand men, women, and children live down there. Like this village, there are two more at the start of the valley's mouth at both ends of the valley, although they are smaller."  
Carl asked, "How many people live at a city father, like Myr where mother was from?"  
Carl's father looked at Carl sternly and Carl could see the sorrow in his father's eyes. He may had not said the wisest of things; however, his father answered, "The Free Cities of Essos are much larger than any city in Westeros. The King's Landing has only half a million population, but a city like Myr in Essos has easily more than a million population," Carl's father continued, "It is said that Volantis has two million in the city itself. There are three other cities which also surround it upriver of Rhoyne and each is as big as the King's Landing."  
Carl was surprised, "Wow!"  
Carl told his lord father, "I could not even think about half a million people, father. To think there is a city with four times that number! I like to see these cities in Essos. Would you think I could?"  
Carl looked at his father expectantly, but his father dodged the question. His father said, "Carl, this valley where we are traveling on is called Griffin's Valley. This Valley is relatively narrow at its both ends in the south and north where it connects to the Rainwood in the south and foothills of the Storm's End in the north. As I told you this is the only land route between Cape Wrath and lands beyond the Red Mountain. Part of the trade of the Cape Wrath passes through here, but as climbing the Red mountains without a proper road is hard, most of the trade and traffic passes through sea through the Weeping Tower. Do you know where it is?"  
Carl nodded, "Yes, father. The Weeping Tower is a port town in the southern shore of the Rainwood ruled by house Whitehead. The woods end several leagues away from it and from there the farmlands and plains stretch up to the shorelines. Maester Lorent believed the reason for their lands not being forested like the rest of the Cape Wrath is the constant raids of the Dornish in the past. He told me that the Dornish burned the Rainwood several times and afterward, House Whitehead also kept the forest away to farm the cleared land."  
Lord Armond told Carl, "It seems Maester Lorent has taught you well. The old man is a capable tutor."  
They rode for several more hours and Carl's father continued to ask him questions about the lands around Griffin's Roost, and he told Carl the importance of any location and lands where they talked about and supplied Carl's knowledge. Finally, they reached the end of Griffin's Valley and the sun was setting.  
Lord Armond called out, "We would make camp here tonight. Set up the camps."  
Carl asked his father, "Aren't we at the end of the Valley? Wouldn't we reach the Storm's End if we pushed on?"  
Carl's father told him, "When we descend the Red Mountains from the other side, you would understand. You could see the castle of the Storm's End actually after the end of the valley, but the distance is not a little and the decent could be treacherous, especially at nights when a horse can easily fall to a pit and break its leg and drop the rider. It would take us more almost a day to descend the mountains tomorrow."

The camps were erected, and sentries were put around the camp. The servants who accompanied them were preparing food for the dinner. Carl was seated between Jasper and Josef in front of his own tent where he would sleep with the twins. His shadow guard had made camps and erected their own tents around Carl's tent.  
Josef teased Carl and asked, "How was your first day out of the nest, young griffin?"  
Jasper also teased, "Yeah, tell us. Have you killed a bore, or saw a dragon, maybe you fight off mountain bandits?"  
Josef told Jasper, "Quit it, Jasper. It is the first time of Carl," then he turned toward Carl, "Did you like it?"  
Carl nodded, "Yeah. It was new and good."  
Jasper commented, "If it was raining and you only had cold jerky with hard bread to eat. If there were not so many servants to cook your dinner, erect your tent, gather wood, and make fire. And if you were kept from sleeping because of the guard duty, you would not have said that. In short my friend, appreciate the soft bed you have at Griffin's Roost."  
Josef wanted to scold his twin, but Carl stopped him and looked at Jasper, then Carl told him, "You are harsh on me Jasper, but I appreciate your honesty with me. Always remain like this, Maester Lorent has told me there are not many people who would tell you the hard truth. He also advised me to keep them close."  
Jasper looked back at Carl surprised, he told Carl, "It was a Joke! Why are you spitting the words of that old geezer?"  
Josef hit the Jasper on the head with his knuckles, Jasper cried in pain, "Ow, it hurts."  
Josef told his twin, "Be polite to Maester Lorent. And don't ruin such important moments."  
Carl looked at his two friends and offered his pinky, he asked them, "Would you swear to not abandon me and remain my friends to the end of times even if I do mistakes? Would you advise me honestly without judging me?"  
The twins both looked at Carl. First Josef locked his pinky with Carl and said, "I do."  
Then Jasper locked his pinky with Carl and said, "I do, too. Do not even think of getting rid of us, Carl. You are basically our little brother."  
Then Jasper jumped at Carl and start to giggle him at the spots only Josef and he knew where Carl was sensitive. After Jasper, Josef also jumped into the fray. The three boys were entangled into each other and started to wrestle and play fight till Talea came to call them for dinner.  
Talea cried out, "By the Seven! Get up you three in this instance."  
The three boys upon hearing Talea's voice stood up fast enough.  
Talea said, "Look at your clothes. There is mud everywhere on them. Go get and clean them. Afterward, clean your hands and come for dinner."  
The boys complied. The night passed as they ate dinner around the campfire, and afterward, the boys went to their tents to sleep.  
As the lord's son, Carl's tent was larger than others; thus the three boys fit easily together inside. Carl took out his boots and slept at the middle cot and covered himself with a thick woolen blanket. The twins also took out their boots and they took the cots on both sides of Carl. The three boys slept peacefully that night.

The morning the boys got up. For breaking their fast, as the group wanted to move out sooner, they only had cold jerky with hard bread. Exactly as Jasper told the other two boys the night before.  
As they were riding, Josef told Jasper, "Did you have to jinx it? Are you satisfied?"  
Jasper replied, "How should I have known?"  
Carl laughed at the twin's antics, and he said, "I get what you meant about cold jerky and hard bread, now. It was not pleasant."  
Josef nodded, he said, "You are taking it well, you know. We expected some tantrums from you, at least. But you were not one to throw tantrums ever. It was Jasper who was always a baby and nagged at mother and father."  
Jasper cried out in protest to his twin, "What nonsense are you telling Carl about me. Who is a baby?"  
Josef replied, "You are."  
The twins started to get their own horses near each other and clashed their heads together. Carl sighed and galloped to the front where his father was and rode beside him.  
Carl said, "Good morning, father."  
Carl's father nodded to him and said, "Good morning. We are going to get out of the valley soon. Stay close to your guards and do not stray from the path. The path down the mountain is treacherous."  
Carl acknowledged his lord father's order and slowed down to ride beside his shadow guard.  
As they exited the mountain, Carl saw another world. On the west were small mountains continuing up from the Red Mountain Range up north and northeast where the Kingswood must be located on the mountain's eastern edge. On the western edge must also be the tributaries of the Mander in the Reach.  
In front of him were foothills to the north which stretched out to the horizon till they reached the mountains and woods in the distance. On his East were flatlands and beyond them the Shipbreaker Bay.  
As Carl looked down he was shocked, The mountains ended like a wall, they were much like the crag where Griffin's Roost was located. The slope of the Red Mountains in this side was so steep that it was no stretch to say that it was almost eighty degrees.  
Carl exclaimed, "How?"  
Jasper who rode ahead to Carl said, "Welcome to the Stormlands proper, milord."  
As the group descended down the mountain, Carl understood why his father told him the way down would take time and it could be treacherous. The road was narrow and it was carved out from the surface of the mountain and it descended down slowly in spirals till it reached the foothills west of the Strom's End.  
Carl asked Jasper, "Have you ever passed this road, Jasper?"  
Jasper nodded in affirmative and said, "Father once took us to the Bronzegate."  
Carl then asked him, "Is there any fortress along the way?"  
Jasper shook his head.  
Carl muttered under his breath, "Weird."  
Jasper asked, "What did you say?"  
Carl replied, "Nothing. I was thinking that it is weird that there are no fortresses on this mountain road. It is narrow enough for one to be easily built, I guess."  
Jasper also nodded, but as the boys did not have an answer, they moved out.

As the group descended down the mountain, Carl looked back and up. The Red Mountain Range was truly overbearing.  
Lord Armond told his son, "You should see the Red Mountains at the Border with Dorne. It gets shorter the further northeast it moves in the edge of the Cape Wrath."  
Carl nodded to his father. By seeing this little of the world, now he really wanted to see more of it.  
Carl asked his lord father, "Why there was no fortress along the road?"  
Carl's father told him, "You were observative. The answer is simple. The Baratheons are on the northern side of the Red Mountains. If Dorne invades, they would invade from the south; thus they would be descending toward the fortress on their way to reach the Storm's End."  
Then Carl's father asked Carl, "Do you think a fortress could be defended from the above?"  
Carl nodded, "I understand. Building such a fortress would only provide a foothold for any attacker from the other side of the mountain once they retreat. But if the fortress is carved inside the mountain, it would not face the same problem."  
Lord Armond asked Carl, "And do you think digging into solid rock would be easy, especially at a place like this narrow mountain road?"  
Carl replied, "No, but it was doable. It would have bolstered their defenses a lot if they choose a good location where attackers could not have collapsed the mountain from the above at them."  
Lord Armond nodded, "I agree with you, but such fortress has not been built. You should also know that that road till the foothills was part of our house's lands. So, we, Conningtons should have built such a fortress, not the Baratheons or Storm Kings before them. Our ancestors decided against it probably as it was not worth the monetary value for them as they were already guarding the pass in the Griffin's Valley near Griffin's Roost. You should also know that the valley has never fallen to the Dornish or any other invading force in the fifty generations which the valley has been held by our family."  
Carl exclaimed his amazement and astonishment of their family's achievements.  
Carl's lordly father continued with pride, "The Baratheons and before them, Storm Kings recognized this fact. If the houses of the Dornish Marches are protectors of the Strom's End from the West, we were its protectors form the South."  
Carl told his father, "So, basically the Storm's End is built on the most secure place in all of the Stormlands. It is protected from the south by the Red Mountains, from the east by the rocky shores and frequent storms of the Shipbreaker Bay, from the west by the Marcher lords beyond that small mountain range in our back to the west. The only way for a big army to move toward it is the north which passes through the Kingswood."  
Carl's father acknowledged what his son said, and told him, "At older times, the Bronzegate was a castle inside the Kingswood on the only road to the Storm's End. It is now only near its edge as the forest has been cut down in the past millenniums."  
Carl asked his father curiously, "How Storm Kings did manage their kingdoms then, father? Storm's End and Stormlands proper seems isolated from most other places to me."  
Lord Armond laughed, "What is their motto, Carl? It has not changed for the Baratheons from what it was in times of the Strom Kings."  
Carl answered dubiously, "Ours is the fury."  
Carl's father laughed again in acknowledgment, "Yes. Our overlords were warrior kings, son. They constantly marched their armies in all directions against Iron Islanders, Reach, Dorne, and any other who invaded their lands. If there were no invading army for a decade or two, you could be sure one of the Storm Kings themselves would invade other kingdoms. Once their kingdom was stretched north as far as the Twins in the Riverlands."  
Carl asked, "I know were Riverlands is, father, but I have not heard of this Twins."  
Lord Armond answered, "When we got back home ask Maester Lorent to also educate you in the geography and geology of the other kingdoms. It may come handy one day for you."  
Carl's father told him sternly, "Remember son, no knowledge is useless. Learn as much as you can."  
Carl replied in affirmative, "Yes father."  
Finally, the foothills gave way to the flatlands and Carl could see the many farmlands where smallfolk were working the land, and pastures where the castles where grazing.  
Ahead of them was a big looming castle with a single tall drum tower which defied the skies akin to a feast. The castle's walls were gray and as they got nearer, Carl paled.  
The castle Storm's End was the same castle which he saw in his dreams. The sound of waves was familiar in his dreams because it was the sound of the Shipbreaker Bay's wave's breaking on its rocky shores which he heard every night as he got to sleep in his chambers.  
They were finally at the Storm's End.


	3. Chapter 3 - Carl 3

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

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**278, Storm's End**

For the feast, Carl was wearing a velvet doublet in red-silver with black pants. Over his shoulder, a cape with the red and white colors of House Connington was draped.  
Carl was standing outside his lord father's room in the Storm's End and awaiting him. Next to him, knights of the House Connington who had accompanied them were also present. Jasper and Josef were not to be present at the great hall during the feast as they were considered common folk and could not attend. Carl was nervous, he was going to be at an unfamiliar room with many other people who he was unfamiliar with without his friends or anyone who he knew except his lord father and the knights accompanying them; however, he doubted he was going to seat with his father or the knights because his father was going to seat at the high table as a lord of the Stormlands, and the knights were going to seat among other knights and men. Carl was probably to be placed at a table near the high table where heirs, sons, and daughters of the lords and ladies were going to seat. Carl knew none of them and this was making him anxious, but a feeling of anticipation and expectation was also being born in him.  
The door to his father's room opened and his lordly father exited. His father was wearing a black doublet with red breeches, he also had a cape in their House's colors over his shoulders.  
Carl's father looked at him and appraised him. After appraising Carl's clothes to his satisfaction, Lord Armond gave a nod to Carl, then he walked away in the direction of the great hall.  
Carl also walked in silence next to his lord father, but always a step behind him as protocol decreed.  
The accompanying four knights of Griffin's Roost were walking behind them in two columns. The group walked for several minutes until they finally reached the great hall.  
Carl thought to himself, 'The castle of Storm's End appears weirdly bigger in the inside than what it appears in the outside.'  
The great hall was an oval-shaped big hall at the middle of the drum tower which could be seen from the outside. The southern part of the hall was a great window and balcony as Carl looked to his left. They entered the hall from the west wing; thus Carl was guessing that the drum tower was circular as it appeared in the outside of the castle. His guesses were reinforced when he saw that the servants who served pleasantries and drinks were coming and going from an entrance on the east side of the hall; however, Carl thought, 'If the tower is circular, the hall is oval, and hallways connecting the hall to staircases rectangular, then how is the space in four corners of the tower is being used? I didn't see any door connecting to those spaces!'  
After some thought, Carl shrugged internally and thought, 'Maybe those spaces are being connected to rooms below or above the hall by private staircases.'  
After entering, Lord Steffon Baratheon's second son, Stannis Baratheon, greeted them. Stannis lacked the distinct Baratheon features based on what was told to Carl as all sons of the family were tall and stocky lads with deep blue eyes, raven black hairs, and fiery tempers. Stannis Baratheon had blue eyes but they were not so deep, he had black hairs but they were not raven black, and he was not by any means short for his age, but he was not tall or stocky. And about his temper, Carl could not be a judge as he did not know him enough.  
Carl observed that Stannis Baratheon was wearing black doublet and breeches with yellow lines, his family's sigil, a black stag on a yellow field, was woven to his chest.  
He was born six years before Carl and was Jon's junior only by four years. As a result, he should be four and one names day old this year, Carl thought.  
Stannis Baratheon spoke to Carl's father in a low but firm voice, "Greetings, my lord. House Baratheon is happy you have attended. I hope your accommodations have been to your satisfaction."  
Lord Armond, Carl's father, greeted Stannis as well and nodded to him, "Your family's hospitality has been great, my lord. I am satisfied and grateful."  
Stannis asked Carl's father, "Has the journey from Griffin's Roost been pleasant and without any difficulties?"  
Carl's father answered Stannis, "It has been unusually uneventful. Not any rain, wind, or bandits. One could even say it was a little too dull," then Lord Armond looked at Carl and said, "Younger ones do not appreciate a dull journey, but us, the more experienced and aged ones, prefer any dull journey over exciting ones. Excitement usually happens when something is happening, and when something happens, the danger does not lurk far apart."  
Carl noticed that Stannis Baratheon was now looking at him after what his father said. Carl bowed to Stannis Baratheon as their host and a senior member and a higher lord.  
Carl said, "Thank you for your and your family's hospitality, my lord."  
Stannis Baratheon bowed his head as befit of Carl's station as a second son of a lord sworn to their house, but he did not say anything more.  
Stannis Baratheon also welcomed the knights accompanying them, then he called one of the servants who was waiting in a corner forward.  
Stannis instructed the servant, "Show Lord Connington and his retinue to their tables."  
The servant bowed from the waist to Carl's father and said, "Follow me if it pleases you, my lord."  
Lord Armond nodded to the servant and the group followed him. The servant first showed the tables were knights could be seated then he guided Carl and his father to the higher tables at the front of the hall.  
As they reached a table where several young men, young women, boys, and girls were seated who were the sons and daughters of lords and ladies, the servant turned toward Carl and said, "You could seat here my lord."  
Lord Armond told Carl, "I would expect you to behave properly and do not drink any wine, you are too young for that. If you become tired, ask one of the servants to show you back to your room after the beginning parts of the feast have finished. I would see you on the morrow."  
Carl nodded to his father, and said, "Yes, my lord."  
As his father left for the high table with the servant where important lords and ladies with the children of Lord Baratheon were to be seated, Carl looked at the table where he was going to seat.  
Several younger men were seated next to each other in the middle of the table, joking and laughing. They obviously knew each other from before. Carl decided to not seat with them as they were all older than him by several years. From the corner of his eyes, Carl saw a boy and two girls his age were at the other end of the table. Carl walked towards them. When he reached the trio who were seating in silence with the boy on one side and the two girls on the other side, Carl sat next to the boy.  
For a moment the boy became startled because Carl came from behind and sat next to him, but the girls who saw him approach them were not surprised. The boy after seeing Carl relaxed, he asked Carl, "Who are you, mate?"  
Carl became surprised by the informality of the boy in front of him.  
Carl thought, 'Shouldn't all lords, ladies, and their children act upon the proper etiquette,' but he answered the boy nonetheless without any scorn.  
Carl introduced himself to the boy and the two girls, "I am Carl Connington, the second son of Lord Armond Connington of Griffin's Roost."  
Then Carl waited with expectation for the boy to introduce himself, but he didn't. The boy nodded to Carl, lifted his cup from the table, and drank from it. Carl looked at the boy, after feeling Carl's gaze upon him, the boy asked, "What?"  
One of the girls at the other side of the table sighed, she said, "This is Beric Dondarrion, heir to Blackhaven."  
Beric who was introduced by someone else exclaimed, "You were expecting I introduce myself, mate. Why didn't you say anything? By the way you acted, I thought you already know me."  
The girl who introduced Beric said, "What were you thinking he was waiting for then, Beric? Have you not been taught anything about how to properly conduct yourself among your peers? And why would for the Seven's sake would you think others would know you? Have you won a tourney or something we do not know of?"  
Carl who saw the agitated look on Beric's face came to Beric's rescue. He said hastily while putting a hand on Beric's shoulder, "I am sure Beric did not mean anything. And as the heir of Blackhaven, he is properly very well-known at the Dornish Marches and needs not to introduce himself, no Beric?"  
Beric who found a way to retreat looked at Carl gratefully, but he puffed his chest forward a little bit and said in an arrogant voice to the girl, "It is as Carl here says, Alys."  
The girl who was apparently named Alys said, "Whatever," then she turned toward Carl, "I am Alys Selmy of Harvest Hall."  
Carl noted that the girl seated next to Alys was a little shy just like himself; however, the girl introduced herself after Alys, "And I am Alla Grandison from Grandview."  
Carl nodded, then he said, "No wonder you all know each other then. You are all from marcher houses."  
Beric said, "Yeah, unfortunately, I know Alys," then he whispered in Carl's ears, "She is scary, mate. Be careful."  
Carl noted that Alys was looking unpleasantly at Beric, but she did not say anything back to him.  
To change the uncomfortable atmosphere, Carl asked Alys, "Alys, you said you were a Selmy, right?"  
Alys nodded, then Carl asked, "What is your relation with Ser Barristan the Bold then?"  
Alys opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Beric answered Carl, "Ser Barristan is his great-nuncle."  
Alys who was annoyed said, "Yeah, nuncle Barristan is my great-nuncle."  
Carl could basically feel the adoration radiating for the man from Beric.  
Beric said, "I hope to go to King's Landing one day and squire for Ser Barristan," After a pause, he continued, "After I have become the best sword in all of the Seven Kingdoms, I would join the King's Guard then."  
Carl raised a brow at the last part, he asked Beric, "Aren't you the heir to Blackhaven though, Beric?"  
Beric who his dreams were shattered, came down from the clouds to the earth and said, "Yeah, I guess that I cannot join the King's Guard. Father would have none of it, but I can squire under Ser Barristan and become the best Sword of the Seven Kingdoms though."  
Carl acknowledged what Beric said, but advised him, "Yeah, I guess you can, if you train a lot."  
Beric told Carl, "My father is already deciding to send me as a page to one of Stormlander lords, but he has not decided yet. Who do you reckon would be a good choice?"  
Carl started to think about what he knew of Stormlander lords and being a page to which lord could benefit one who was a future lord of Dornish Marches the most. After contemplating several options, he told Beric, "I do not know Lord Swann personally, but House Swann is renounced for having great knights and warriors. Their hold over River Slyne does also mean that their lands are fertile; thus you could learn a lot from them in terms of managing lands, and most importantly they would be good allies to have both in peace times and war times, especially against the Dornish."  
Beric nodded, but Carl could see that the boy did not truly understand why Carl has advised Beric to make connections with House Swann. As the feast had already started and there was no one from House Swann on their table, Carl had deduced that House Swann probably did not have any sons and daughter near their age; thus to make good connections with them, Beric had to go to Stonehelm and could not rely on making friendships with other children of his age.  
At this moment as Carl was contemplating with himself, Lord and Lady Baratheon with their heir, Robert Baratheon, entered at last. Then they seated themselves at the high table.  
Lord Baratheon stood and addressed the hall, "Honored guests, lords, and ladies, welcome. Tonight, I am happy to have you here and dine with all of you. I want to say that for tonight's feast we have unexpected yet honored guests. The Crown Prince, several members of the King's Guard and the prince's retinue have also come for tonight, and we are happy to have them. Please stand for the Crown Prince."  
Rhaegar Targaryen, the Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, entered the hall and the herald announced him and the members of the King's Guard and those who entered with them.  
From the King's Guard, Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Arthur Dayne, Sword of the Morning, accompanied the prince. In the group of nobles accompanying the prince there were a number of sons of lords from Crownlands; however, the presence of Carl's brother, Jon Connington, draw Carl's attention to the procession. Those who accompanied the prince except the prince and white cloaks seated at Carl's table were other sons and daughters of lords were seating. Carl looked at the other end of his table and saw his brother. Upon seeing him, Jon winked at Carl.  
The attention of Carl was drawn to the high table as Lord Baratheon offered his seat to the prince, but the prince gracefully rejected Lord Baratheon and seated on Lord Baratheon's Right. The members of the King's Guard were offered seats, but they rejected and stood guard over their prince at the back of the table.  
Carl looked at Baric who was eyeing the King's Guard with adoration. To further tease Beric, Carl asked him, "Had you ever seen Ser Barristan before, Beric?"  
Beric replied without looking back at Carl, "No, it is the first time. Although he has aged, you could see how chivalrous he is even from here."  
Alla said, "The prince and King's Guard are really chivalrous. I hope to be able to speak with the prince tonight."  
Alys who was becoming annoyed at the attitude of the duo, asked Alla, "And what are you going to tell him? Are you going to ask him to take you as his bride, Alla?"  
Carl did not comment and did not participate in the ensuing argument between others on honor and chivalry of Crown Prince and King's Guard.  
Carl thought, 'I do not think chivalry could be seen by simply seeing them seating at a table though. Chivalry is in the actions of a man. All they look like is grand and white.'  
Lord Baratheon after the prince and newcomers were settled also announced, "For the festivities, House Baratheon has decided to throw a tourney at the day after the morrow. And the day after the tourney a hunt at the Kingswood would take place. All those who wish to participate or be present, House Baratheon would be happy to accommodate you."  
Carl thought, 'Interesting. The announcement in this feast gets more and more interesting as time passes on. I wonder what truly is happening.'

As the feast went on, the four children, two boys, and two girls talked to each other about their homes, family, what they liked to do and what they hoped, and many other things.  
Suddenly Lord Steffon banged his feast on the table and said, "My noble guests, lords, and ladies. For tonight's entertainment, I have invited a musical band to perform for us for tonight. I draw your attention to the Band of Five who have come to perform for us." Then Lord Steffon Baratheon seated himself.  
Everyone at the hall looked at the raised stage at the middle of the hall where five people, three men and two women had set up their musical instruments and were ready to perform. The hall became silent in anticipation.  
At this moment Carl remembered the first time he heard someone performing a musical piece for him at a feast and sing was when the Crown Prince, Rhaegar Targaryen, visited Griffin's Roost on his tour of Stormlands. It was where his brother saw Prince Rhaegar for the first time. From that time forward he lost his brother, Jon, to the prince. Before Rhaegar coming to Griffin's Roost, Jon was always a safe embrace for Carl who he could retreat to and speak out his worries to. Carl remembered the prince sang a sad song and played his harp with such intensity that most women and even some men at the great hall of Griffin's Roost wept that night at the welcoming feast for the prince.  
The music started, and it was familiar with Carl. The lyrics were in the description of the Seven, whenever Carl went to the Sept of Mother to pray at the weekends, the musical group of the sept at Griffin's Roost would perform this piece for those who were present before the start of the prayers by the septon.  
After the music filled the great hall, the woman who was standing on a stage higher than other members of the band started to sing:

_The Father's face is stern and strong,  
he sits and judges right from wrong.  
He weighs our lives, the short and long,  
and loves the little children_

_The Mother gives the gift of life,  
and watches over every wife.  
Her gentle smile ends all strife,  
and she loves her little children_

_The Warrior stands before the foe,  
protecting us where e'er we go.  
With sword and shield and spear and bow,  
he guards the little children._

_The Crone is very wise and old,  
and sees our fates as they unfold.  
She lifts her lamp of shining gold  
to lead the little children._

_The Smith, he labors day and night,  
to put the world of men to right.  
With hammer, plow, and fire bright,  
he builds for little children._

_The Maiden dances through the sky,  
she lives in every lover's sigh.  
Her smiles teach the birds to fly,  
and gives dreams to little children._

_The Seven Gods who made us all,  
are listening if we should call.  
So close your eyes, you shall not fall,  
they see you, little children.  
Just close your eyes, you shall not fall,  
they see you, little children._

Carl acknowledged that this Band of Five were very good at their work. After the piece ended all of the people present at the hall started to clap politely in appreciation.  
Carl thought and chuckled to himself, 'A safe choice to start. After all who would dare to not appreciate a lyric in the description of the Seven openly?'  
After the clapping subsided, one of the present knights bellowed who was a little intoxicated by the wine, "The Song of the Seven is wonderful, singer, but sing us a song for this joyous occasion."  
Carl observed that the leader of the group took a look at the high table where Lord Baratheon was seated, then after probably getting permission, they sang the Birthday Boy.  
After the end of this song, the group sang the Maiden and the Bear. As the singer started to sing one person joined him, then the second person joined, and slowly almost all were singing the popular song.  
Beric nudged Carl and said, "Join us mate."  
Carl looked at Beric who has already joined the singing. After some contemplations, Carl also decided to join in as many others did. He thought that the breaching of etiquette on occasion would not be very bad.  
As Carl was singing, he saw that some couples started to get up and dance on the floor at the center of the hall around the singing and playing band.

The lyrics were:

_A bear there was, a bear, a bear!  
All black and brown, and covered with hair.  
The bear! The bear!_

_Oh come they said, oh come to the fair!  
The fair? Said he, but I'm a bear!  
All black and brown, and covered with hair!_

_And down the road from here to there.  
From here! To there!  
Three boys, a goat and a dancing bear!  
They danced and spun, all the way to the fair!  
The fair! The fair!_

_Oh, sweet she was, and pure and fair!  
The maid with honey in her hair!  
Her hair! Her hair!  
The maid with honey in her hair!_

_The bear smelled the scent on the summer air.  
The bear! The bear!  
All black and brown and covered with hair!_

_He smelled the scent on the summer air!  
He sniffed and roared and smelled it there!  
Honey on the summer air!_

_Oh, I'm a maid, and I'm pure and fair!  
I'll never dance with a hairy bear!  
A bear! A bear!  
I'll never dance with a hairy bear!_

_The bear, the bear!  
Lifted her high into the air!  
The bear! The bear!_

_I called for a knight, but you're a bear!  
A bear, a bear!  
All black and brown and covered with hair_

_She kicked and wailed, the maid so fair,  
But he licked the honey from her hair.  
Her hair! Her hair!  
He licked the honey from her hair!_

_Then she sighed and squealed and kicked the air!  
My bear! She sang. My bear so fair!  
And off they went, from here to there,  
The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair._

After the end of the song, the dancers asked for the Dornishman's Wife, the group of musicians who saw the excited crowd compiled. The singer started to sing as the four others played the harp and other musical instruments. The lyrics were:

_The Dornishman's wife was as fair as the sun,  
and her kisses were warmer than spring.  
But the Dornishman's blade was made of black steel,  
and its kiss was a terrible thing._

_The Dornishman's wife would sing as she bathed,  
in a voice that was sweet as a peach,  
But the Dornishman's blade had a song of its own,  
and a bite sharp and cold as a leech._

_As he lay on the ground with the darkness around,  
and the taste of his blood on his tongue,  
His brothers knelt by him and prayed him a prayer,  
and he smiled and he laughed and he sung,_

_"Brothers, oh brothers, my days here are done,  
the Dornishman's taken my life,  
But what does it matter, for all men must die,  
and I've tasted the Dornishman's wife!"_

Finally, the round one of the songs and dances came to an end, people started to seat at their seats, and servants started to take the pleasantries on the tables out and bringing the dinner in.  
As the food was placed on the table and before the start of the dinner, Lord Baratheon stood, and addressed the hall, "My honored guest, before we begin I am honored to announce the betrothal of my first son and heir, Robert Baratheon, to the beautiful daughter of Lord Rickard Stark of Winterfell, Lyanna Stark."  
The entirety of the hall was shocked as they did not expect such engagement for the future lord of the Storm's End, and such an unexpected announcement. Carl noted that Crown Prince was also surprised, but he masked his surprise well.  
Then Lord Baratheon lifted his goblet of wine and said, "To the couple."  
All those present lifted their own goblets of wines and drank in honor of the new couple and their betrothal.  
Carl chuckled internally, and thought, 'So the real reason for the presence of Ned Stark and this feast became clear; however, it does not explain why Rhaegar was not invited, but he came anyway. I doubt it is a coincidence that he is here.'  
Carl saw that Crown Prince was also among the first to congratulate his cousin, Robert Baratheon, at the high table.  
As the food was served, Carl observed that as the main dish of meat, roasted lamb and pig, as for the poultry, chicken, swan, and peacock in different styles and flavors, and as for fish, salmon, sardine, flying fish, and crab was served.  
Vegetables such as carrots, cabbages, peas, and onions were served boiled, roasted, and raw. White bread with roasted and boiled sweet potatoes was also on the table.  
For the drinks Storm wine, Arbor Gold, and Dornish Red with some soft drinks such as fruit juices and water were brought.  
Carl thought, 'Truly a lavish feast. Lord Baratheon is spending a lot.'  
Carl started to fill his plate with a piece of lamb and chicken meat with a variety of vegetables with different seasonings. Maester Lorent always told Carl the importance of moderate consumption of meat and the importance of eating vegetables for a healthy lifestyle. He also advised Carl to eat everything and diversify his diet as much as possible. Carl grabbed a piece of bread and started to eat.  
Beric's plate was filled with a variety of meat and no vegetable, Carl wanted to give him a piece of advice on the importance of eating vegetables as the maester had taught Carl, but after seeing the manner of Beric's eating, he decided against it.  
Carl thought, "Mother says that boys would get better anyway after growing up. And she also says men, in general, are like mulls, you could not tell a mull how to behave and what to do, you should take its reins and pull it where you want."

As they ate, the musicians played their instruments on softer and lower tunes. Eventually, after some more conversation with his new friends, Carl got tired and started to yawn. Carl decided to bid his friends goodbye and retreat to his room for the night and sleep.  
Carl bid Alys, Alla, and Beric goodbye and stood up, and walked toward his brother. Jon upon sensing the presence of someone behind him turned. When he saw Carl, the ever-present scold on his lips was melted and a small smile came upon his lips.  
Jos said, "Hello little brother. I see that you have come to say goodbye to your big brother."  
Upon seeing Jon after a long time, Carl decided to remain a little more in the feast and talk with his brother, so he protested, "No. I have come to seat with you. We haven't seen each other for a long time already."  
Jon laughed and said, "Ah, so my brother has missed me. How reassuring, but you should go and sleep. I can see you are falling sleep already. Don't fight it and go. We would talk on the morrow."  
Carl who acknowledged that he could not stand on his feet for much longer relented, Carl said, "Okay, but you promise that you would not leave without coming to me again."  
Jon told Carl, "I promise, now run along and go to bed."  
Carl bid Jon goodbye and left the great hall. As he was walking back to his room, he took a turn and found himself in an unfamiliar corridor. Carl turned to go back, but there was a wall behind him.  
Carl thought, 'Strange. I swore that I came from that way, but there is something familiar with this corridor.'  
Carl looked at the dark corridor which suddenly became lit. Carl noted that the torches hanging on the wall became lit on their own. This was not normal, Carl thought.  
Carl started to walk the length of the Corridor. Suddenly he remembered why the corridor was familiar. This corridor was in his dreams the last time he dreamt.  
As Carl walked forward, the corridor ended with a single door. Carl pushed the door, and the door opened. On the other side of the door was a hardly lighted room with a wooden circular table in the middle. The table was made of weirwood and there were carvings on it which Carl did not understand the meaning of. In the middle of the table, there was a ring.  
Carl knew he should not pick an unfamiliar object in an unfamiliar room, but he picked the ring up out of curiosity. Carl studied the plain ring which had the picture of a hammer only carved on it.  
Carl looked at the ring for what seemed like an eternity and debated with himself that should he put the ring on his finger or not. Finally, he decided to put it on, then he would remove it and put it back on the table.  
As Carl put the ring on his index finger of the right hand, he knew no more.


	4. Chapter 4 - Another Life

Thank you for your reviews. As you have advised me, I am trying to paragraph my story now. If you have any other suggestions or advice, or you have seen any mistakes, leave a comment in the review section and I would try to correct my writing.

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

* * *

**Another Life**

Carl was a baby in a room with deep blue walls. A fine carpet with intriguing designs laid on the floor. The design was of a hunting ground where several hunters were chasing foxes and antelopes on horseback. Pictures of dragons and dragonoids without wings decorated the walls of the room.  
Carl looked around himself and reached out, but his baby legs and arms were too weak to move his heavy body. As he hit the ground, Carl heard the sound of crying louder than ever he had heard in his life. The door to the room opened and a woman in fine linen but weird clothing entered.

She asked in a soothing voice, "Why is the baby crying?"  
Then she picked Carl up and held him. She sniffed Carl and said, "Baby has not peed on himself. Is baby hungry? Hmm."  
Then she lifted her shirt, and Carl saw her tits. She brought Carl forward to her. Carl upon seeing what was happening cried harder, but as his mouth reached her tits, he started to suck on instinct. The crying stopped and Carl's mouth was filled with an unknown liquid of heavenly taste.  
The woman said, "So my baby was hungry. The baby is a glutton, you drank mommy's milk two hours ago."

The scene started to shift and spin, and Carl's head started to ache. After some unknown time, Carl looked up. There were trees of many kinds around him. Some familiar as pines, and some unknown to him. There was a metal swing in front of him with some other metal structures which children were playing with. The metal structures seemed man-made.

Carl thought, 'Who would use so much metal to make a swing? And what are those things these children keep sliding on?'

A deep voice called from behind, "Carl, where did you run off to? Didn't your mother and I told you to not stray from our sight when we go to park?"

Carl turned, he saw a man unfamiliar to him, he wanted to ask who the man was, but his mouth acted on its own, he said, "I am sorry, father. It would not happen again."

The man sighed. He said, "Remember Carl, whatever your mother and I tell you is for your own good," then he continued, "Come on. We have an ice cream to catch."  
Carl jumped in happiness and trailed the man.

The scene started to shift and spin again. This time Carl was a teenager. He was in a room with many other teenagers like him. A guy was standing on a raised platform in front of the room.

The man was saying, "Three types of plate boundaries exist, with a fourth, mixed type, characterized by the way the plates move relative to each other. They are associated with different types of surface phenomena. The different types of plate boundary movements are: convergence, divergence, and transform.  
Usually strong earthquakes happen along the faults where earth plates move next to each other which is called transform.  
When two earth plates diverge from each other, magma comes forth from inside the earth from the split which has been made on the Earth's crust. Narrow seas are usually made in this way as two plates have drifted apart from each other. Volcanos can also be born on the boundary of the divergence of plates.  
The final movement is convergence. When two plates converge, one goes under the other one. As a result, the other plate goes up, and mountains are made. Faults and mines are formed under these kinds of mountains. However, if two plates are as dense as each other when they converge, neither one would go under the other, as a result, both would go up. The shape of the mountains formed of such a convergence is different than the other one."

Carl was listening to the man intently. He had not heard the maester say such an intriguing theory to him. If it was true, one could possibly guess the approximate locations of mines!

The man called out Carl, "Carl, you seem really interested in this topic."

Carl wanted to say that he was, but his mouth opened on its own again and spoke, "I am not Mr. Anderson."

The man became sad for some reason and he looked disappointed, Mr. Anderson said, "Maybe if you research on this topic before the next class and present it, you would become interested. It would make ten percent of your final score to motivate you, Carl."

Carl could feel that the boy who he was seeing through his eyes, cursed himself for opening his big mouth with he should have kept them shut under his breath.

The scene shifted again. Carl was in a feast. Whatever a feast would be in this world.  
The people were dancing, some were drinking what he guessed was wine or equivalent of it as most looked intoxicated. Weird and loud music was in the air.  
Someone put an arm around Carl's neck, Carl looked to the left to see who it was. The young man said, "Are you enjoying the party, dude? It is the last party of our life before going to college." Then he grabbed Carl's hand and dragged him toward the dancing people.  
The young man said, "Come on. Dance with me. Let us enjoy it," then he turned toward a girl and called her out, "Come and dance with us, Shirley."

A young woman with a fit body and smooth curves came toward them. She had long blond hair with green eyes. She said, "Hello Carl."

Carl felt the temperature in the room was rising. His hands started to shake a little, and blood was flowing to his face and redden it.  
The young man elbowed Carl in his ribs, and said, "Answer him, dude."

Carl stuttered, "Hello Shirley."  
The girl giggled, and the young man started to laugh along with her giggles.

The scene shifted yet again. This time Carl was wearing a cloth which he somehow knew was called a tuxedo. It was his wedding day. Carl became confused, how was it his wedding day, he was only a child.  
Someone entered from the door next to him. It was the same young man who he saw at that weird feast which he called a party. The young man still looked young, but he seemed more mature and a little older.  
The young man said, "The ceremony is to begin in half an hour. Why are you not ready, yet?"  
Carl looked at the man. The man could see the hesitation in Carl's eyes, the man said, "You seem unsure. Come here, let me fix your tie."  
Carl walked up to the man, the man started to fix a piece of cloth which was hanging from Carl's neck that was apparently called a tie.  
The man told Carl, "It is normal to be scared. Everyone is in such an important moment of their life."

Carl told the man, "I am not sure that I want this."

The man looked at Carl, then after fixing the tie, he put a hand on Carl's shoulder and told him, "You chose this. I advised you to follow your heart, but you did not listen. You could have afforded it after all and face the consequences, but now is too late to back out. You must go forward with it and make a happy life for yourself."  
The man then said, "Now go, the bride is waiting for you."

The scene shifted again. This time Carl was seating on a long, big, and comfortable chair. A book was on his lap and the title was 'A Game of Thrones'.  
A man with a face so unlike yet familiar approached Carl.

The man said, "You have finally awoken, Carl. I have been waiting for you for years."

Carl asked the man who gave a weird vibe to him, "Who are you?"

The man answered, "You know the answer to that question already, but you refuse to accept the reality."

Carl told the man, "I am Carl Connington. The son of Lord Armond Connington of Griffin's Roost, and brother of Jon Connington. My mother was a lady of Myr."

The man said, "You are who you claim you say you are, and you are not at the same time."  
Then the man asked, "Why do you fight it? Why not accept your true identity?"

Carl started to cry and pleaded with the man, "I don't want to remember another man's life. What his life has to do with me? I have a life of my own, now."

The man said, "He is you, and you are him. Both of you are one."

Carl said, "I do not want to change. I want to be me."

The man said, "We would all change, eventually. Some changes are more rapid, and some are slower. But change is a fact of life and is inevitable."

Carl said, "What cruel deity has done this? Has it been the work of the Seven? The old golds? The doomed gods of Valyria or the red God?"

The man said, "I do not know that these gods which you called do even exist, but I know that you need to accept yourself. If you do not and wake from sleep, you would feel hollow for the rest of your life. You would never know peace because you would always feel a piece of you is missing."

Carl said accusingly, "I lived eight years, and I did not feel being hollow."

The man replied, "You did not, yet you were missing some part of yourself. You only did not feel it as you did not know that it should have been there in the first place. You were like a blind person who had never seen the light; thus you did not miss it."  
There was silence for what seemed like an eternity, the man said, "You are not fighting it anymore."

Carl asked, "Would the change be good?"

The man shrugged, and asked, "Good for who?" then he continued, "The future is ever-changing and uncertain. Never forget that regardless of what you learn. Remember that only you can make your future and no one else."

Carl asked, "What would I learn?"

The man said, "It is time for you to grab my hand. When you awake, you would be whole again."  
Carl knew that there would be no more answers until he awakes. The man reached his hand, and Carl grabbed it.  
There was a blinding light and the darkness ruled supreme.


	5. Chapter 5 - Carl 4

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

* * *

**278, the Tourney of Storm's End**

The light entered Carl's eyes, and he blinked. Carl raised a hand to block the sunlight from entering his eyes.  
A voice called out to Carl from beside him, "You have awoken, thank the gods."  
Carl heard the sound of someone running away from him. Carl's head hurt, a lot.  
Now, Carl could hear the sounds of an additional footstep.

This time, a softer and womanly voice asked, "Carl, can you hear me?"

Carl lifted his hand which was shielding his eyes from the sun, and said, "Mother?"

Talea screamed in joy, "Oh Carl, you have awoken. Tell me, how do you feel? Does it hurt in any part of your body?"

Carl lifted himself up and looked around the room. To his left, his mother, Talea, was standing. And behind her was Jasper. Carl saw the worry in their faces for him.  
Carl looked down at himself. He was covered with a woolen blanket and not much else was visible.  
Carl felt so hot under the blanket; so, he threw it off himself.

Talea shrieked, "Don't do that Carl, your body is still weak and you could easily become sick again."  
Then she picked the blanket and covered most parts of his body by it.  
Carl whose body felt a little sour became surprised by what his mother told him.

Carl asked, "I have been sick?"

Jasper nodded, he said, "Yeah. You had a pretty high fever when the servants found you some doors away from your room. The maester was not hopeful for you to awake in another two or three days."

Carl asked Jasper, "How long have I been sleeping?"

Jasper said, "You have been sleeping from the night of the feast. Today is the tourney's day," after a pause he continued, "This morning your fever broke to the maester's surprise. He told us that there is a possibility of you waking today."

Carl nodded, "So, it has been two nights and a day."  
Carl saw that Talea and Jasper both nodded in affirmative to him.  
The door to Carl's room opened. Carl looked up to see who came inside, it was his father.  
As Lord Armond walked toward Carl, Talea and Jasper bowed their heads in respect to their lord and back off to a corner of the room.

Carl's father told him, "You have awoken, son. I am happy to see you awake again. You had me worried. You should be more careful from now on."  
Carl saw a true smile on his father's lips. Carl noted that his father's posture looked hunched and tired, under his eyes were sunk and a little black, possibly from the lack of sleep.

As Carl saw his father's situation, he said, "You do not look well, father. How much have you slept in the last two nights?"

Carl's father did not answer him, and said, "The tourney would start in an hour. Maester promised me that he would come to see you before the start of the joust."

Carl told his father, "You evaded my question, father." Then he slowly lifted the blanket from himself and got out of the bed. As Carl stood, Talea, Jasper, and even his father were all surprised and they came forward to put Carl back to bed again.  
Carl raised a hand in protest and said, "Stop. I am all good. The fever has broken. I only feel a little sour in my muscles which is probably because of oversleeping. Staying in bed would not help me anymore at this point."

At this moment another person entered the room, The person spoke out, "It is not for you to decide, boy. It is my job."  
Carl looked at the newcomer and recognized him as the maester of Storm's End, Maester Cressen.  
Lord Armond backed off to give space to the maester to examine Carl. Maester Cressen made way toward Carl and stood in front of him. Then he guided Carl to the bed to sit on and started to examine the whole of Carl's body. He touched and poked every part of Carl's naked body.  
After the maester was done, Carl was a little red and self-conscious as he had never stood naked in front of anyone but Talea and Maester Lorent, not even his father as long as he remembered at least in this life.  
Carl looked at Jasper who was also uncomfortable by the scene.

The maester said, "Weird, but fortunate. With the fever you had, I was not too hopeful of a fast recovery. But it does seem that you are as healthy as a horse."  
Maester then looked at Lord Armond and addressed him, "My lord, I would usually advise rest to a sick person who has recently recovered, but your son is completely healthy and as far as I know, sleeping on a bed all day for a healthy boy of his age is not a good thing, but I advise against any strenuous activity."

Lord Armond nodded to the maester and said, "Thank you maester. For all you have done for my son."

Maester Cressen said, "It is only my duty, my lord."

However, Lord Armond said, "You have my thanks nonetheless, maester."  
Maester Cressen bowed to Lord Armond and exited the room.

After the maester left, Carl got up to his feet and told his father, "See, the maester believes that I can go outside already. He even advised me to do so."

Lord Armond sighed, then he turned toward Jasper and instructed him, "Look after my son with your brother, boy. I would reward you well upon our return."

Jasper told Carl's father, "Josef and I would look after him, my lord. You need not worry yourself."  
Lord Armond then looked at Talea and gave her a nod, then he left the room.  
Upon Lord Armond's departure, Jasper asked his mom to leave them. He assured her that he would help Carl for anything he needs and if something was to happen, she would be notified promptly.  
Carl also backed Jasper up and asked Talea to not worry. After threatening Jasper quite a bit in case of failure to look after Carl, she left.  
Jasper said mockingly while bowing to Carl, "What is your first order, milord?"  
Carl turned toward the bed and started to walk toward it. Jasper called out and tried to reach out to Carl, "Hey, you should wash up yourself and change your clothes. Don't go back to bed like that."  
But before he could reach Carl, Carl picked the pillow on the bed and throw it at Jasper's face.  
Jasper yelped, but he managed to dodge the pillow. Then he grabbed on to Carl and asked, "What was that for?"

Carl answered, "For being a smart mouth bastard."

Jasper feigned being hurt, then he asked Carl, "Should I go and call the servants to heat the water for you?"

Carl looked at Jasper and said, "Yeah, do that," then he continued, "Jasper, choose some outdoor clothes which are neither warm nor cold for me. I want to come and see the tourney."

Jasper asked, "Is it wise?"

Carl shrugged and said, "Wise, perhaps not, but I want to come out, walk outside, breath fresh air, and see the first tourney of my life."

Jasper bowed with a mocking smile, "Of course milord. We would be honored by your attendance."

Carl told from the back of retreating Jasper, "You better be honored, Jasper."  
As Jasper left the room, Carl walked to a corner where a pitch of water, a basin, and a small mirror was. Carl looked at his battered face at the mirror. He did not know what he should make of himself now. Someone from another world in a medieval fantasy world about which he read a book, As unreal and fantasy like it seemed, but it was the hard and cold truth for Carl. Now Carl wished that he had read all the books of the series up to the fifth book, but he had only read the first one, 'A Game of Thrones' and that was with the insistence of his wife. She told him that Carl was the only person who had not read the book who she knew of.  
As he remembered her, tears started to flow from his eyes, then to his cheeks. She is lost to him now, everyone who he knew is lost. Carl poured water from the pitch and started to wash his face. Afterward, he looked at the mirror and saw his usual face which was a little red and swollen.

The door opened and a maid entered. She said, "We have readied a bath for you, milord. Would you come?"

Carl turned toward the girl while walking to her, he told her, "Lead the way."  
The maid bowed and guided Carl to another room several doors away. As Carl entered the new room, he saw two other maids and Jasper.  
Carl asked Jasper, "Have you chosen and brought the clothes which I asked you to choose and bring to me?"  
Jasper nodded, then he pointed to a stool in the room where high-quality woolen and leather clothes were lied on.  
Carl said, "Thanks."

Jasper said, "Your welcome."

Carl said, "Leave the room. I want to bath alone."  
The maids complied and left the room. Upon seeing that Jasper was not leaving, Carl told him, "You leave too, Jasper."

However, Jasper asked Carl, "Is there a problem?"

Carl answered, "No, why?"

Jasper said, "You seem troubled."

Carl said, "I am only weary after the fever. That's all."

Jasper said, "I thought you were good. If you do not feel well, why won't you return back to bed after bathing?"

Carl answered Jasper, "I am a little tired, but going back to bed would be worse than going outside. I need air."

Jasper said, "As you wish."  
However, before leaving he asked, "Where did you get that ring by the way? I have never seen you wearing it before."

Carl became surprised, but he hid it well, he looked down at his hand and saw a simple and plain bronze ring on his finger with the design of a hammer on. Carl told Jasper as he was studying the ring, "Father gave it to me. It is not worth much as it is made of bronze, but it is important to me as it is a gift from him."  
Jasper nodded, but before leaving the room, this time Carl asked him, "Josef did not come to see me. Where is he?"

Jasper said, "He was with me next to you until last night, but he had to go to sleep for today. He is participating."

Carl asked, "In the tourney?"  
Jasper nodded to Carl. Carl said, "Is he mad?" then he asked, "What competition is he participating?"

Jasper said, "The joust."

Carl looked dumbstruck, then he said, "He is only nine! They would surely not let a child participate."

Jasper retorted heatedly to Carl, "Are you a grown up then? We would be ten in less than a moon. I have seen my brother ride under my father's guidance. He is even better than squires at five and one names day old. If it was not for you I would have been also with him."

Carl became angry and shouted at Jasper, "Exactly, they are squires, not knights. These knights are not your everyday knight. They are among the best of the Stormlands and Crownlands."

Jasper told Carl cooly, "If you are worried for him, I suggest you bath sooner; so, you would be able to be present when he jousts." Then Jasper closed the door behind him as he left the room and left a standing bewildered Carl.

The sound of trumpets was in the air. Carl walked to the stands were nobles were seating at. Accompanying him were Jasper and three members of his shadow guard.  
As he reached the top of the stands, Carl saw the only northerner, Ned Stark, to be sitting alone. Carl could already guess why other lords were not seating with him. Southern lords saw northerners as savages and foreigners effectively.  
When Carl reached Ned Stark, he asked him, "Would you mind if I sit next to you my lord?"  
Carl knew Ned would probably agree if the description of his character in the book was anything to go by.  
Ned Stark nodded. Carl swiftly sat beside him with his shadow guard positioning themselves behind them. Jasper sat to Carl's left as Ned was to his right.  
The herald announced the next joust to be between Ser Barristan and Robert Baratheon.  
Carl asked Ned, "Are you participating in the joust, my lord? What we should expect of a northern knight, I wonder. Not that I have seen many knights joust beyond my father's knights."

Ned replied curtly, "I would not be participating."

Carl saw this as an opportunity, and asked Ned, "That is a shame. Then would you be inclined to place a bet on your friend, my lord stark?"

Ned Stark looked at him, then he said, "I do not bet."

Carl asked him, "Are all northerners against betting?" then Carl added in a carefree manner, "It is a friendly bet. Robert is your friend, is he not?"  
Carl was shameless here as he was exploiting something against a teenage northerner who probably had never in his life knew anything about leading questions and how to avoid such provocations.

Ned wanted to decline Carl, but he said a little more heatedly after the provocation to his friendship with his friend, "How much?"

Carl thought, then said, "I bet on Ser Barristan. The bet could be on a golden dragon."

Ned raised a brow, "Why only a golden dragon? Do you southerners not bet in more amounts?"

Carl sighed, "Most people do, but this is only a friendly bet between friends, nothing more. The bet is only there to heat things up and make the matches more interesting. I do not bet for the money."

Ned became surprised, "You are a weird child."

Carl said, "I am already eight names day old, I have you know. I am a child no more."

Carl saw the smile on Ned's lips. Ned told him, "Sure you are." Then Ned looked at Jasper who was next to Carl, "Wouldn't your friend want to join our friendly bet." The emphasis of Ned's words was on the word friendly.

Carl answered Ned instead of Jasper before he could say anything, Carl said, "Sure he would. He would also place a golden dragon, but who should place his bet on? Would you also choose Ser Barristan, Jasper?"  
Jasper who was taken aback nodded. Carl turned toward Ned and told him, "It seems we are all set."  
The joust between Ser Barristan and Robert Baratheon started. Both sides rode furiously and gallantly. Well, Carl was not truly a good judge in such things.  
Carl guessed that Ned could tell that Carl could not understand who had the higher ground. Carl whispered in Jasper's ear, "Who is the better rider. I cannot tell."

Jasper snorted, and said, "No wonder. Ser Barristan is the more steadfast one, but Lord Baratheon is more vigorous and furious."  
Carl nodded. What Jasper told him somehow matched the description of Robert in his youth before he became king.  
In the fifth tilt, Ser Barristan unhorsed Robert Baratheon.

Carl told Ned, "It seems you owe us a golden coin, my lord."

Ned Stark applied in a short manner, "I do."

From the other side of the lists, Lord Steffen was going to face the prince. After the announcement, Carl asked Ned, "Do you want to win back your golden dragon, my lord?"  
The taunting in Carl's voice was present again.

Ned Stark said, "I would bet on the Prince."

Carl feigned surprise, "Would you not on your best friend's father? Aren't you and Lord Robert akin brothers?"

Ned grimaced, but told Carl, "I may be a northerner my lord, but I am no fool. You managed to make me do as you like by your speech once against reason, but not twice."

Carl smiled, "As you say my lord, but I do not get your meaning. I would bet on our gracious host then. One golden dragon."  
Lord Steffen lost and with his loss, Carl lost his hard-won dragon. The matches continued and Carl somehow managed to convince Ned to make bets with him most of the time. Sometimes he won and sometimes he lost.

Herald announced the next match, "Ser Jon Connington would face Ser Barristan."

Ned asked Carl, "Who would you bet on this time, Carl?"

Carl said with a straight face, "I would bet on Ser Barristan."

Ned looked surprised, he asked Carl, "You would bet against family?"

Carl advised Ned, "Always bet on the winner my lord. And accept the hard cold truth that Ser Barristan is the better sword or in this case lance."

Ned's face hardened, he said, "I do not know what to say to you, Carl. However, know that family is everything. You must sacrifice if need be for them. The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives is what my father has always told us."

Carl looked at Ned and saw that the teenager was truly advising him about honor and importance of sticking to your family, Carl decided on a whim to give a piece of advice to Ned that might save him his head one day, "Your lord father told you that the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives, my lord. But if what you are up against is so strong that you are sure it would wipe out your whole pack if you stick to them, it may be better to separate yourself. Sometimes we need to let go of what that could not be saved."

Ned asked, "Who has told you that?"  
Carl wanted to answer, but the match started and ended on the first tilt. Jon was unhorsed by Ser Barristan. Carl used this opportunity to evade the question. Then he chastised himself for being reckless with his mouth when he was only a sheltered eight names day old in others eyes.

Carl told Ned, "It seems that my brother lost, but you didn't place a bet; so, it was somehow my loss."  
Ned did not pursue the matter further and they continued to watch the matches.  
On the next match, a mysterious knight was going to face Simon Toyne. Carl could guess who this mysterious rider was.

Jasper spoke for the first time willingly, "I bet ten golden dragons on the mystery knight."

Carl looked at Jasper, then told him, "You place too much faith in this mystery knight as if you know him."  
Ned perked up but did not speak, Carl guessed that Ned already knew that Jasper was not highborn, or not highborn enough to be seated with them, but he did not make a scene out of it which made a good point in his favor on Carl's book for the teenager.  
Carl continued, "However, I accept your bet, Jasper. The Seven help you that this mystery knight wins."

Jasper whispered, "He would," but Carl could sense the uncertainty in Jasper's voice.  
The two riders begin to ride against each other. The first round was a draw, and Carl saw that Josef despite his smaller stature was holding himself well. The second round was a draw, however on the third round, Josef was almost unhorsed.

Carl commented worriedly as he clenched his feasts, "You came so close Jasper to washing all the floors of Griffin's Roost for the rest of your life."  
On the fourth round, however, Josef changed his position on the saddle and leaned forward on the last moment which caused Ser Toyne to be taken aback. Josef unhorsed Ser Toyne. Carl eased his closed fists.

Jasper told Carl, "I told you he would win."

Carl told Jasper, "You were lucky," then he mumbled under his breath, "He was lucky. He could have died down there."  
Carl signaled one of his shadow guards to come forward, as the guard came close, Carl whispered in his ear, "Tell Talea that his son is riding in the joust as a mystery knight."  
The guard nodded and left.

Jasper perked up and asked, "What did you order him?"

Carl answered, "What I should have ordered long ago."  
The matches continued, but the mystery knight who had won favor with smallfolk did not appear again.  
It was Ser Barristan and Prince Rhaegar who reached the finale.  
Carl asked Ned, "Who would you care to bet this time?"

Ned looked thoughtful, "Both are really good. I cannot decide, but I would bet on Ser Barristan this time."

Carl said, "I wanted to bet on Ser Barristan too."

Ned said, "I chose Ser Barristan first, choose the Prince."

Carl said, "I would not bet this round then if I could not bet on Ser Barristan."

Ned Chuckled, "To me, it seems that you have a grudge against the Prince, Carl."

Carl spoke a little too loud with passion, "He has stolen my brother from me. Jon is never with us at Griffin's Roost."

Ned laughed, "I was doubting you were a child, but I see that you are only more mature than most."  
Carl's face became heated and red because of the outburst. He regretted to not be in control of his emotions. He was a man in a child's body, not the other way around.

The match started and both the prince and Ser Barristan rode well. At the nine tilt, however, Ser Barristan managed to unhorse the prince who seemed to be better that Ser Barristan in the last four tilts.  
Ned said, "That is the result of experience, I suppose. The prince rode fabulously, though."

Carl told Ned, "He did, but you still owe me three golden dragons, my lord."  
Carl saw that Ned wanted to pay him, but he was hesitant for some reason. Carl who could guess that the northerner did not carry many coins with himself out of habit told him, "I have matters to attend to my lord, but you could pay me the next time we see each other," then he said, "Good day to you, Ned."  
Ned nodded with a smile to Carl and Jasper who were stepping down from the stairs which connected the stands to tourney grounds.

Carl entered the lodging of people who were in service of his house in Storm's End. Their lodging was essentially a hall with ten rooms connecting to it. It was probably a place for the servants and guards of visiting lords to stay during visits of their lords to lords of Storm's End. As a result, it looked bare. It only contained minimum furniture, like beds, chairs, and a small table.  
The sound of shouting and banshee-like screams were in the air. As Carl expected, Talea was berating Josef for participating in the joust.  
Upon Carl's entry, Tale silenced when she noticed his presence.  
Carl commented, "That is enough, Talea. I am sure he has understood his folly."

However, Josef told Carl, "It was you who told her, wasn't it? How dare you stole glory from me?"

Carl was a little shocked at the attitude of Josef. The Josef he knew was not like this. Carl told him, "You forget your station, Josef. Is it because I treat your family as if you are my own?"  
Josef who came to himself apologized. Carl raised a hand for Josef to be quiet and said, "You are a good rider and you have great potential. You would certainly become a great knight **if you live until then,**" then Carl continued, "I had expected more out of you. I may have expected Jasper to do such a foolish thing, but of you, it didn't even cross my mind. There would be consequences for your actions when we go back home."  
With that Carl left their living quarters back to his own room.


	6. Chapter 6 - Jon 1

I thank everyone for their reviews. As you may have noticed English is not my first language; thus, my writing is a work in progress on itself. One of the reasons for me writing this story is also to improve my own writing aside from amusement. If you notice any points grammatically or regarding my writing style please do comment on it. I would try to improve upon my writing to write higher quality chapters.

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

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**278, the Hunt**

The scent of fragment incense had filled the air. Jon groaned, the rays of sunlight were shining through colored windows on his face. The last day was eventful and the following night even more so with the feast afterward. Jon's only regret was that he did not meet his little brother yesterday during the feast. Based on what father told him, Carl became exhausted after watching the tournament and asked his leave to go to his room and rest for the night. Jon did not even know that Carl was going to be watching the joust. If he did, he would have found a time to speak with him after his defeat by Ser Barristan. Now that Jon was thinking about Ser Barristan, he noticed that the place where Ser Barristan's lance stroke him still hurt.

Something or someone moved next to him; thus, alerting Jon. He took a look at his surroundings and became a little confused. He was having a headache form his hangover as a direct result of his excessive drinking last night at the feast.

Jon thought for a moment, 'Where was he?'

Then he looked at his side where he felt the movement, and what he saw shocked him. The events of the last night were coming back slowly to him. Jon looked at the room frantically to see if there were any others in the room. Upon realizing that no one else was inside the room, but the person on the bed, he became relived. Jon got up from the bed and started to dress for the day.

As he was buckling his pants, a nice and warm voice greeted him, "Good morning, Jon."

Jon turned toward the bed to see the silver-haired person on the bed who was smiling at him. He could not believe that they had really done it. It was so weird and good. Jon wanted to scold the person on the bed and himself for their recklessness, but upon seeing those purple eyes, silver hair, and sinful lips, something melted at his stomach.

Jon smiled, "Good morning, my prince."

The prince groaned, "You always return to formalities out of bed. They say that the north men are of ice, but you are not lacking in any way compared to them, Jon. Sometimes I wonder if you are of the south."

Jon told the prince, "You should get ready, my prince. Today is the hunt's day. All lords and knights would be awaiting you before their departure to the Kingswood for the hunt."

The prince groaned again, "I hate hunting, Jon. Especially as is done in large gatherings. I only want to lay under the shade of a tree with a harp in my hands and play," he then buried himself under his blankets and covered his face, "What is the point of hunting in the manner which most lords do? A week in advance hunters start to gather and trap animals in a portion of the forest. Do these men feel that they gain glory by hunting an already cornered animal?"

Jon moved toward the window, pulled the heavy purple velvet curtains to the side, and opened the window to allow both wind and sunlight to come inside the room fully. A cold breeze from the shipbreaker bay was what greeted Jon's face. He heard the prince's curses from his back, then he looked upon the prince who was slowly getting out of bed with a haggard appearance. It seemed that Jon was not the only one of the due who was affected by the hangover.

"It has been the way of hunting for most of the lords in the south for centuries, besides, you could not really expect this hunt to be over in a day, if each of them was going to search through the forest to find a game," Jon told the prince, "And some of them would simply refuse to stop hunting until they catch a bigger buck than those who they are crossed with."

The prince said in a matter of fact, "I wish I could change these things, no I would change the kingdoms once I am the king."

Jon sighed, he moved toward the door and tapped on it with a special rhythm. The rhythm was set; so, the guard on the other side who was mostly Arthur be able to communicate with them if it was necessary when the prince and Jon were together. The sound of taps from the other side indicated that the coast was clear in the hallway.

Before exiting, Jon gave a final look to his silvered haired prince, "You should first hunt with your lords today before becoming the king, much less changing the way the Seven Kingdoms had been governed and managed."

Jon exited the bedroom and saw Arthur standing as vigil as always. He knew that the man did not approve of Jon's relationship with the prince, but the king's guards were sworn to their king to stand by him without judging him. In case of Arthur, Rhaegar was the king not the one seating on the Iron Throne at the King's Landing. Arthur was almost their age, being one and two names day old. He was a man of broad shoulders and tall stature. His hair was dark blond and his eyes were a shade of purple as a result of their grandfather, the former lord of Starfall, marrying to a Valyrian noblewomen from Volantis.

Jon nodded to Arthur as acknowledgment and bowed his head lightly which was returned by the king's guard in kind. As much as Arthur disapproved of the relationship between the prince and Jon, Arthur always paid proper respect to Jon as the future lord of a major house. Without any words between the duo, Jon left for his father's room in Storm's End at the other side of the keep where lords from the Stormlands were residing. After that he could go and visit his little brother too, Jon thought.

As grand and imposing as a castle Storm's End was, most of its corridors were damp, dark, and gloomy. Griffin's Roost was not as big as Storm's End, a castle which could easily house five thousand knights and their savants and retinue without any problem, but it was bright and airy at least which counted a lot more in Jon's book. Besides, Jon doubted that Griffin's Roost needed an army to be held. His lord father always told him that a well-provisioned garrison of five hundred trained men could hold Griffin's Roost against twenty times their number. And such an army would simply starve on itself by besieging a castle on mountains in a prolonged siege.

Jon reached the corridor where his family was located. In front of his lord father's room in addition to their household guards, two iron guards of Myr who served Carl were also present. The presence of the iron guard always made Jon nervous as he had seen their capabilities first hand when he was younger.  
Despite walls of the castle being so thick that they almost insulated the rooms which prevented any sound from escaping outside, Jon could hear the sound of shouting from the room.

Jon thought, 'It is rare for father and Carl to be in an argument.'

With a bang, the door of his father's room opened, and Jon saw Carl exiting. Upon seeing Jon, Carl stopped at his tracks.

Jon smirked at Carl, "The little minx is furious. Why is that?"

Carl unexpectedly jumped at Jon and hugged him and started to cry. Jon became a little startled but embraced Carl back. After hugging each other for almost a minute, Carl's cries died down and he released his tight hold on Jon's waist while sniffing.

Carl accused Jon, "You did not come to see me yesterday, Jon. I am also angry with you. You did promise to see me, remember?"

Jon nodded, "I did promise to see you, Carl, and I was going to come to see you today before going for the hunt. Besides, you would also be there, so we would have a lot of time with each other."

Carl sniffed upon Jon's words. He spoke softly, "Father is not letting me join the hunt. He told me that I would be staying at Storm's End, but I want to come and hunt. I have never gone to hunting, Jon."

Jon became sad upon hearing his lord father's decision regarding Carl staying behind at Storm's End. He wanted to go hunting with Carl for the first time, but he could agree with his father that the health of his brother was fragile and he should not be put in a situation which could affect his health adversely.

Jon smiled at Carl, embraced, and told him that he should listen to their lord father's decision. That it was the sensible thing to do, and Carl's health was more important than a stupid hunt. After speaking to Carl and soothing Carl's anger, Carl calmed down, but Jon could feel something still was bothering his little brother.

"I would not have been so angry only over the hunt. Father means to send me to foster away from Griffin's Roost," Carl told Jon.

Jon tensed, "Where?"

Carl hesitated a little bit, but under Jon's gaze he gave in finally, "Father is going to send me to foster at Storm's End under Lord Steffen in a moon's turn."

Jon's face hardened. He did not like the fact that his little baby brother was going to foster at Storm's End with Baratheons, especially that Robert Baratheon who was known for his excessive whoring and drinking even in King's Landing, miles away from Eyrie. He was going to speak to their lord father about this matter. It was better for his brother to come to the capital if he was going to grow up outside of Griffin's Roost. Jon could keep an eye on Carl and ensure he learn swordsmanship under the best knights of the Seven Kingdoms.

Jon told Carl, "Go to your room for now, we would speak with each other more after today's hunt."

Carl who felt the commanding tone of his brother nodded and left. His two iron guards trailing behind. Jon told the servant who was waiting upon his lord father to announce his presence to him. After the return of the servant, Jon entered his father's room.

The room was smaller than the prince's and was not as bright or airy. One could definitely see the preferential treatment given to the Prince compared to other guests even those as important as Lord of Griffin's Roost who was a major bannerman of Baratheons of Storm's End.

Jon announced his presence to his lord father, "Father, it is me, Jon."

Lord Armond upon seeing Jon gestured toward a chair in front of a table which was arranged in a way that resembled his lord father's office in Griffin's Roost. Jon sat upon the chair and awaited his father to finish whatever paperwork he was doing and speak to him.

After waiting for several minutes, Jon cleared his throat to get the attention of his lord father.

His lord father without looking up from his papers and stopping his writing told Jon, "One would think that you have grown more patient with the passage of time, but you have not," then he place his quill on the table next to his papers which he was writing on, and looked straight at Jon's eyes.

Jon always felt being a child and small when his father looked at him like that. He remembered the times when he would hide behind his mother's skirts when his lord father would disapprove of his actions and scold him. Jon was jolted from those memories as he reminded himself that he was in the presence of his lord father, "I saw Carl crying when he exited your room."

Lord Armond asked, "So?"

Jon was annoyed, but asked, "Why?"

His father raised a brow, "Didn't you already spoke with Carl outside my room?"

"He told me about not being allowed to go hunting which had upset him," Jon saw that his father did not give any kind of reaction, then he continued, "But we both know that Carl would not cry over not being allowed to leave, after all, he has been kept inside Griffin's Roost for more than eight years and he has never complained. Why is he going to foster at Storm's End?"

Lord Armond said, "Good, you finally stopped dodging the topic, and the answer to your question is quite simple. He is practically a hostage for our good behavior should anything happen to Lord and Lady Baratheon in their voyage to Essos."

Jon was astounded by what his father said. Lord Armond practically confessed that he is giving Carl away as a hostage. Jon asked, "How could you accept that?"

Jon could see the almost unmask fury under his father's always stoic mask, "The Baratheons are our overlord. In name, taking Carl as a ward to foster at Storm's End is an honor for us, besides the influence of Lord Steffen has risen tremendously with both king and other lord paramounts, like Lords Arryn, Stark, Tully, and Lannister. I simply cannot deny him."

Jon started to think about dynamics at court. Sure he was aware that Lords of Lannister and Baratheon were close to each other as they were childhood friends, but he could not see how Lord Steffen's influence has grown with almost every lord paramount.

Lord Armond stopped Jon's thinking, "Don't waste your time, you would not find out the answer you are seeking even if you sat there and think for the rest of the day. You were in King's Landing but you have not felt the shift of power already."

Jon startled, "What shift of power?"

Lord Armond sighed, "Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark were fostered at Eyrie. Robert Baratheon is being betrothed to Lyanna Stark. Lord Arryn's heir is a squire of Brandon Stark, heir to Winterfell. There are talks of betrothal between Brandon Stark and one of the daughters of the Tullys. There is also talk about a betrothal of Jamie Lannister to one of the other Tully girls. Tell me so many coincidental inter-relations between the great houses does ring an alarm for you?"

Jon looked thoughtful, he said, "It could be a coincidence, you know. These children should marry someone at the end of the day."

Lord Armond shook his head, "One or two maybe, but it seems more like a developing slow plot. The mental condition of our good king is not exactly a secret."

Jon was seeing the point which his father was pointing at, "But once Prince Rhaegar takes over, all will be well. He is the hope for the future."

Jon heard his father snort, then his father told him that Jon was dismissed and could take his leave. Although Jon had more questions, upon facing his father's dismissal, he left the room. After exiting the room, Jon looked at the high window. The sun was already moving up in the sky. Jon thought, 'I should go and ready for the hunt. The party would leave soon after most have broken their fasts.'

Most lords and knights who had come to the festivities were on the hunting party. Currently, they were making way to the Bronzegate through King's Road. After Bronzegate, Kingswood proper would begin. The hunting location chosen was apparently south of the Wendwater before Wendwater Bridge. Jon looked at farms and grasslands of the countryside where once a forest was. Based on what he had learned from Maester Lorent, The Rainwood and Kingswood were once the same forest which stretched in the south from the southern shores of Cape Wrath up north up to Crackclaw point. Now, the once great forest has been reduced to three smaller forests. Rainwood, Kingswood, and one at Crackclaw point. However, there were several small groves near many keeps in the Crownlands which lords kept for their personal hunting.

Prince Rhaegar spoke to Jon, "Some are more enthusiast than others to get to hunting grounds, wouldn't you agree?"

Jon looked ahead and saw Robert Baratheon who was even several paces ahead of those who were riding in front of the hunting party. A mocking grin emerged on Jon's lips, "I reckon they rarely experience any hunt at a rocky mountain. It is natural for them to be eager as a result my prince."

The Prince nodded, then looked at Arthur, "What do you say Arthur?"

Arthur did not answer the prince and continued to ride beside them. Arthur was an honorable person, but Jon knew that he would do anything if ordered to by the prince even if he disapproved. The boy who Jon met when they were younger was not like this. Jon guessed the behavior of Arthur had something with his training as a King's Guard under Oswell Whent and Lord Commander Hightower of King's Guard.

Something occurred to Jon's mind. Jon told the Prince, "We all have something in common though, my prince. You, me, and Robert."

The Prince perked up, "And pray to tell what is that? I did not remember we have any special love for women or wine."

Arthur commented, "Most men do, your grace. Although you are not most men."

Jon saw that there was an amuzed smile on Prince's lips. Arthur was commenting about earlier today, and Jon thought that it would be the closest thing as a joke Arthur would say to them.

Arthur's comment brought the last night and morning's memory to the front of Jon's mind, but he put them aside and continued where he left off, "All of us love Stormlands, but one loves this windy plains and hills north of Storm's End, one loves the warm grasslands and hills of Dornish Marches, and the other the cool and wet mountain air of Red Mountains."

However, Prince Rhaegar denied what Jon said, "I have no lost love for the marches, Jon. But you both know that what I like is located there. The Summerhall."

Arthur told the prince, "You should put aside your fascination to the place, my prince. It is not good for your health. I do not like to find out you have been going to sleep on the ruins of that place all by yourself again. The last time, the king almost called his banners."

Prince looked shameful for the mess he had once caused, but Jon knew that he was not sorry for going there. After the accident three years ago, they had gone there several more times under different pretexts, however.

After one more hour of riding on the King's Road, they reached the Bronzegate, the ancient castle which protects the lands directly owned by Baratheons to the south. The Bucklers were the protectors of the southern Kingswood from time immemorial. The huge castle was supported by five different small towns. The culture of the Stormlands in architecture could be seen at this castle especially. The castle could have one big town, but they thought a big town as an easy target for raiders; so, the Bucklers built several smaller ones instead. This pattern could be seen at many other places of Stormlands, but it was most prominent at Bronzegate.

The camp followers, servants, and most of the men-at-arms camped beneath the walls of the castle of Lord Buckler, and the rest continued to the Kingswood. At this time of year during summer years, Kingswood was warm and moist. The summer rains from southeast frequented the forest. Jon could see that the trees were lush and green, and the sound of birds singing atop trees could be heard. Normally, such a large party would scare most of the animals in the woods away, but hunters were sent in advance to trap a number of boars, rabbits, bucks, and antlers in designated hunting grounds where they were heading to.

Jon heard Robert Baratheon exclaiming loudly, "We are getting there, Ned. I remember the woods now. It has been a long time."

Jon saw that Eddard Stark nodded to his friend, but he did not speak with him. Jon could see cautious in the northerner's posture as if he was alarmed and afraid of something.

Jon thought, 'Do these northerners have no forest in the north, but maester taught me that there are vast forests there. The most prominent one Wolfswood which is controlled by Starks.'

Prince spoke to the northerner in a polite tone, but Jon who knew the prince knew he was mocking Eddard Stark, "Lord Stark, have you not gone to hunting frequently at the Eyrie?"

Jon saw that Robert's brows were furrowed, unexpectedly Robert understood that Rhaegar was mocking his friend in fact. Jon remembered that Robert was as easy to anger as he was during their childhood, but he was also easy to cool down.

The northerner who apparently knew Robert's mood after being fostered with him for years, replied, "There are good forests full of the game in the Vale of Arryn, my prince, but I am not one to partake on the activity frequently."

Robert who had forgotten his anger told the northerner that he should accompany him more on his hunting. And he started to tell a story about one of his hunting trees that how he camped alone four days and nights in a forest in Vale and refused to go back to Eyrie until he got a boar. He also told them about his adventures with a girl near the edge of the forest where he stayed for the night after the hunt quite vividly. Jon was pleased that Carl was not here to hear what was being said. This filth was not feat for his brother's ears. Jon had to have a talk with Robert before his brother was sent to Storm's End.

Jon noticed that the forest had grown silent and the birds were no longer singing. This was weird. Jon did not frequent Kingswood a lot, but he knew something was off. Jon wanted to warn the prince when a loud whistling sound was heard.

Several arrows flew and found their targets at the men of the party. Jon jumped from his horse and grabbed Prince Rhaegar and thrown him and himself to the ground to take cover.

A man shouted, "Bandits! Take cover!"

The sounds of groaning were coming out of the Prince under Jon. Jon saw that Arthur was next to them and had already drawn his sword. Jon got up from the prince to allow him to move and crouched next to Arthur.

Finally, the party got out of their initial shock of being attack and started to send counter volleys to bandits who were shooting arrows at them from behind the trees and bushes. As Bandits saw that they failed to subdue them by shooting at them, they charged. Jon drew his own sword and braced himself. The three, Jon, Prince, and Arthur stood shoulder to shoulder of each other and fight back against the bandits. They took care of each other during the fight and made sure to not become surrounded. After a lot of hacking, stabbing, slashing, and staining a lot of blood, the wave of attacking bandits ended. The bandits were on the run.

Ser Barristan shouted, "All men gather at the center and take defensive formation."

Jon, Arthur, and the prince followed the order of experienced King's Guard. There were those however who did so begrudgingly like Robert.

Jon heard Robert mutter, "They were running like rabbits whose tails were on fire. We should have chased them and smashed them for good."

As much as Jon knew that they should not do that and what Ser Barristan ordered them to do was the correct decision, but he could not disagree on the sentiment with Robert. During the clash time slowly passed by as if it was hours, but Jon knew from the position of the sun that the clash did not last more than half an hour with the bandits.

Arthur told Ser Barristan, "They were aware of we were coming. It was a planned attack."

Ser Barristan nodded to Arthur, "Probably the work of Kingswood Brotherhood. We need to go back and organize a ranging party. They may have also attacked the hunters who were sent forth."

One of the lords exclaimed, "The hunters did not warn us of the activity of bandits. They are slain probably long ago. We should head back to Bronzegate as Ser Barristan recommended. What do you say, my prince?"

Jon noted that men were now looking at the prince with the expectation to lead them, to guide them. Jon saw that Prince addressed the party, "First, sort of our wounded and dead. Set sentries around the group to not be taken by surprise again. As Ser Barristan recommended we go back to Bronzegate."

The men moved to do as prince ordered. Jon approved of the decision making and leadership abilities of the prince. He told Rhaegar, "Well said, my prince. They look up to you with the hope to guide them."

In response there was silence first to Jon, then, "I hope that they follow me to what is awaiting us in the future too. Not all would listen to a prince."

Jon told the prince, "You would not be a prince in the future. You would be king, and it is the duty of every lord to follow his king. If some do not, I would say what my brother once told me. He said that you could not make an omelet without breaking some eggs."

Prince looked at Jon in amusement, "You should really introduce your brother to me. He seems like an interesting person to talk to for a child."

Jon replied, "I would, my prince." Then they joined the rest of men to tend to the wounded. They were heading back to Bronzegate, and afterward was unclear, but Jon knew that something should be done about Brotherhood after this attack. Previously, they only harassed merchants and minor nobles passing through woods occasionally, and nothing serious was happening, but they had dared to even attack a hunting party of lords this time. Only the Seven knew what else they were going to do?

One of the household knights of Griffin's Roost rushed forward. Jon remembered suddenly that his father was also in the hunting party. When the knight reached him, Jon asked worriedly, "Has something happen to father?"

The knight looked apologetic, but answered, "Lord Armond was hit by a stray arrow. His wound is stable now and we are making a stretcher to take him back. I thought we should also tell you, my lord."

Jon nodded to the man. At this time, the Prince spoke from beside Jon, "Let's go to see your father Jon. We would escort him while riding back."

Jon looked thankfully to the Prince, "Yes, my Prince," then he looked at the knight and told him, "Show the way to my father." The three followed the knight as the party slowly turned to return while several knights and guards were deployed to guard their flanks.


	7. Chapter 7 - Jon 2

I have decided to have the defiance of Duskendale happen in the timeline of my story, so I omitted a line in previous chapters which indicated that the defiance happened in the past.

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

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**278, the Separation**

Lord Armond's condition was stable, but the fever did not leave him even after three days. His wound was not deep, but it had become infected. The maester told Jon and Carl that the infection was the reason which the fever could not be broken. He also told them that he has done everything in his power, and only the Seven could help their father now.

Jon broke from his thoughts as he entered the room where his father was. The room was decorated with well carved wooden furnitures which were glimmering by the rays of sunlight. Upon Carl's insistence father was moved to a room facing the sun with fresh air. As Jon was occupied last night with the gathering of lords and knights present at Storm's End to form a party to deal with the outlaws, Carl had taken care of their father and kept to his side. Carl was sleeping on a chair next to the bed with a blanket on him. To his side was a basin with water inside which was used to keep the fever of father down.

Jon became angry that Carl was sleeping in such conditions, he silently exited the room and called for the nurse who was responsible to take care of his father. The nurse was a chubby middle-aged woman with red hair and a freckled face.

Jon asked her, "Why is my brother sleeping on a chair in that room? Aren't you responsible to take care of my father? Why has he not been taken to his room to sleep?"

The woman stuttered before answering Jon whose patience was running dry, "It was the young lord's wish, milord. He asked us not to go inside until he says so," When the woman saw that Jon was not buying it, she added, "Young lord wanted to be alone with your lord father, milord. He gave me the order late in the night after I cleaned the wounds of your lord father."

In Jon's opinion, despite Carl's mature appearance and manner, he was simply a child who had grown up fast because of the lack of their mother. Father kept Carl close, but he expected a lot out of him in the meantime as well. Sometimes Jon thought that the similarity in the appearance of Carl and their mother may have caused father to see him differently. He needed to ask some questions.

Jon spoke to the woman, "Why have you not taken him to his bed after he felt sleep?"

The woman looked afraid, she replied, "Young lord especially told me that should he find himself outside this room when he wakes up, he would have my life. I do not dare to disobey, milord," then she pleaded, "Please have mercy on me, milord. Betsy has done no wrongs. I have children, milord. By mother's mercy forgive me."

Jon got bored with the woman's ramblings, he told her to keep looking after his father. He would take his brother away to sleep on a bed and the woman does not need to worry if she continues to look after his father well. Jon gave the woman a silver coin and entered the room as the woman started to thank Jon for his mercy and benevolence. He slowly picked Carl up and took him to his own bed to sleep. Jon was careful not to wake the boy.

While Jon was putting Carl to bed, Carl woke up. Jon cursed under his breath for waking Carl up.

Carl looked sleepy and confused while asking, "Is it you, Jon? Where am I?"

Jon put Carl to bed, put a purple velvet blanket on him, and patted his head. Jon whispered in Carl's ear softly, "Go to sleep little brother. You have done a lot while big brother was away. Now it is time to go to sleep and let me handle things."

Carl said sleepily, "But what about father?"

Jon looked at two large brown eyes which were covered by eyelashes. The eyes were familiar and they brought sorrow, anger, despair, and happiness all the same to Jon. Jon could not think how father coped with it every day for the last eight years. Jon knew that he could not look at this face, nose, and eyes and do not succumb to sorrow.

Jon closed Carl's eyes with his hands and shushed him, "Sleep now. I would be on our father's side."

The features of Carl's face relaxed and Jon could finally hear the breathing of Carl which had relaxed again. Jon silently exited the room, then he went to find Talea. Why was Carl alone in their father's room when he arrived? Where was Talea? In addition, he had some other questions which needed to be answered and who could better answer him than the closest person to both Carl and his father.

Jon found Talea with her two sons, Jasper and Josef in the servant's quarters. The boys were wearing gears which showed that they were going to train with other squires and boys at the castle. Jon always thought that father gave too many privileges to them because of Carl, nevertheless, he would also give in to any request Carl had.

Upon seeing Jon, Talea and the boys curtsied, "My lord."

Jon gave a node to them, then dismissed the boys. What he wanted to ask was not proper for the ears of ten names day olds. When he saw that they have left, Jon asked Talea, "Why has Carl been alone with my father? Where have you been?"

Talea replied to Jon, Jon could pick the bitter taste as she spoke, "My lord, last night, the young lord asked all servants and me included to leave him with his father alone. We are in no position to deny the young lord, my lord. I tried to dissuade him, but he would have none of it. In the end, he reminded me that I am his servant and I should obey as ordered to."

This was as Jon thought, unlike Jon, Carl had a finality in his voice which would make others obey his commands. It was one of the few things which he had picked from their father.

Jon lowered his voice for what he was next to ask, then he looked at their surroundings to make sure that no one was listening to the conversation, "What can you tell about the behavior of my father toward Carl to me? Have you noticed something which is out of the norm aside from the usual overprotectiveness?"

Talea hesitated but answered, "I do not understand what my lord means."

Jon almost growled, "You understand perfectly what I meant. Is something going on between them?"

Talea who looked bewildered replied hesitantly, "There is nothing going on, my lord, but I guess there is something in Lord Armond's eyes as Carl is growing up. The features of your deceased mother become more prominent as time goes by," then she added, "I may have interfered once or twice when Lord Armond was a little into his cups before anything could happen."

Jon said, "I see. I want this matter to remain hushed. You are to interfere if anything happens. I would resolve the problem, and in future, you would tell me about Carl. I want to know more about what is happening around my brother. Your sons seem to be good friends with him. And they may one day make fine knights, however, it is neither easy nor cheap to become the squire of another prominent knight. And in truth the connections made during the time one is a squire determine ones future most of the time."

Then Jon placed a small bag of silver coins in the hands of Talea, "I would be looking forward to our future meetings."

Jon saw that Talea was in an internal conflict, "I want the best for my brother, but I cannot be present next to him; thus I need you to tell me if there is any problem regarding him."

Talea nodded, Jon became pleased that everything went on without a hitch. Jon gave a final look to Talea and left to find the Prince. There was still work that needed to be done and the day was young.

At the door of Prince's room, Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Barristan Selmy were present. Jon greeted the two members of King's Guard, "Is Prince inside his room?"

Ser Barristan replied that the Prince was inside and he has been awaiting him for some time. In the room, Jon saw the Prince in his usual black and crimson attire with the designs of a three-headed dragon. Rhaegar was looking at a letter so intensely that Jon thought at any moment a hole could appear on it.

"Look any harder and the letter would burn my Prince," Jon japed. When Rhaegar did not reply to him, he became worried. He asked, "What news have made you so worried?"

Finally, Rhaegar looked away from the letter and looked back at Jon. Without saying any words he gave the letter to Jon to read, and started to look at the courtyard below. The sound of training of squires and other boys could be heard. The incident had caused a state of martial readiness which the younger ones had taken much more seriously and were hoping that if they prove their worthiness they may be allowed to participate in the hunt of the outlaws. Jon read the letter from the beginning to the end:

_Your grace Prince Rhaegar Targaryen,_

_Regarding tax and charter disputes with lords Mooton, Darklyn, and Ser Cox, the king traveled to Duskendale with one of the King's Guard. After the meeting, the Darklyns have taken the king hostage for unknown reasons and Ser Gwayne Gaunt has been slain. Lord Mooton and Ser Cox's connection with their families outside of Duskendale has been severed and their houses have come to the King's Landing to plead innocence. I have called the banners in Crownslands to siege Duskendale and rescue the king. I ask of you to return with all haste to King's Landing in the time of this crisis and in the absence of the king and me as I am leading the host to rescue the king. _

_Lord Tywin Lannister, hand of the king, Lord of the Casterly Rock, Warden of the west, and Shield of Lannisport_

Well, the news was totally unexpected. Jon knew there were ongoing tensions with lords who held port towns at the coasts of Narrow Sea. These lords wanted charters from the crown which would allow them to increase the amount of trade ongoing to their lands and beyond, but Lord Hand had repeatedly denied giving any charters on behalf of the crown to them despite lowering the taxes and tariffs for major ports of the kingdoms. Although it was understandable why they have been denied. Lord Hand had acted on the benefit of the Crown. All these port towns were major competitors with King's Landing as they were all near each other, especially Duskendale. It seemed that father was right. How could he have been blind to the developments of the Capital when he was living there?

Jon asked, "What are you going to do, my Prince?"

The Prince replied, "I am going to share the news with Lord Baratheon and ask his opinion on the matter. Although I am sure that he has already received a similar letter to mine. But I believe that we would leave for the King's Landing. The hunt of outlaws must be handled by Lord Baratheon himself."

Jon nodded, it made sense. They would go to King's Landing to prevent the Capital to be destabilized and Lord Steffon would handle the outlaws. But the problem was that Lord Steffen was also going on a mission on behalf of the king. There was uncertainty on who was going to do what.

Jon asked the Rhaegar, "Wasn't Lord Steffon tasked to find you a Valyrian bride, my Prince?"

The Prince looked uneasy on the prospect of having to marry some random girl. Jon did not like the king's order either. After Lord Tywin's daughter was denied to marry the Prince by the king, Jon thought that Prince would not marry for years to come.

However, Prince Rhaegar asked him worriedly, "Would you come back with me? I think we would need to leave soon."

Without thinking about his father's condition or leaving Carl alone, Jon replied, "Of course, I would always be by your side."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me to know that I always have you to have my back. I know your own situation is not too good. I would pray for the fast recovery of your father," The Prince's features relaxed noticeably.

Only after giving his promise Jon noticed what the consequence of it was. He needed to abandon his own family again, but it could not be helped. What could he do by standing next to his father's bed? He could only hope for the best and pray. His Prince needed him though, and he could do something for him. Jon said, "I am thankful on behalf of my father, my Prince."

Prince Rhaegar sighed, he stood up, walked toward the door and locked it up. Then he moved toward the window and drew the curtains. Then he seated on the bed and gestured for Jon to come and join him. In all these hectic situations, this was one of the few things which could bring a smile to Jon's lips aside from being with his brother. Jon joined the prince and the morning session of their passion began.

Jon was waiting outside of Lord Steffon's solar and waiting for the Prince. After him, Jon was going to speak with the lord of Storm's End regarding his father and brother. Jon looked at outside, the sun was almost at its zenith. It would be time for lunch soon. Before coming he had checked on both his father and brother. Both were sleeping. The door of the solar opened and Prince Rhaegar came out.

Jon asked, "What have you decided my prince? Are we leaving?"

The solemn features of the prince upon seeing his best friend and partner brightened, "We would go to Summerhall and there I would raise a host of a thousand men by Lord Steffen's permission and go to the King's Landing through the Rose Road as the King's Road through the Kingswood is infested with outlaws," then he continued, "Lord Robert would organize the men here aside from marcher lords and deal with the outlaws. Lord and Lady Baratheon would go on their mission to Essos as scheduled."

Jon noted the dislike in Prince's tone as he said the last part. Jon also hoped that Lord Baratheon would delay their journey as the situation was critical both at the Kingswood and Duskendale. But the decision was sound. Jon told the Prince that he would see him for the lunch and knocked on the door of the solar. A deep voice invited him in, and Jon entered.

"Ah, Jon. Come and be seated," Lord Steffon told Jon. Lord Steffon's feature of a warrior was even more prominent from up close. Broad shoulders and chest, and Strong arms. As Jon seated himself, Lord Steffon asked, "Wine? It is dornish. I have found out as sweet as it is, it would make you forget your worries when you drink it, and afterward, well … it would pull the rug out from under you."

Jon accepted the cup of wine and tasted it. It was truly too sweet as anything dornish was. Jon told Lord Steffon that he had come to see him and speak with him regarding his father and brother before his departure with the prince to the King's Landing.

Lord Steffon assured Jon, "Maester Cressen would look after your father, Lord Armond. My house would do outmost in our power to help him to recover," he maxed, poured himself and Jon another cup as Jon emptied his previous cup of wine, "And Regarding your brother, there is no need to worry. While my Lady and I are away, his education would be taken care of by Maester Cressen and I can assure you that there is no better person I would entrust my own sons too. His martial lessons would also be under Robert and the master-at-arms of Storm's End. After I have returned from Essos, I would take him as my page and later when he is older as a squire. He could also see you when I come to King's Landing, so no worries there."

Jon didn't like or want to leave Carl behind, but his father has struck a deal with Lord Steffon and promises were given. Although Jon had become in reality the acting lord of Griffin's Roost as his father's heir, he could not take Carl with him.

Jon thought, 'If King's Landing was safe, Lord Steffon was not alive, and I was lord of Griffin's Roost, things could have been different,' then he mentally shook his head, 'Too many ifs and some of them border treason.'

Jon thanked Lord Baratheon for his considerations, "I appreciate what you do for my house, Lord Baratheon. House Connington would not forget this."

Lord Steffon rose and came to the other side of the table where Jon was seated and put a hand on his shoulder, "Do not worry my boy. All of us have a duty and need to do it and see it done. You have a duty to our prince, and you have a duty to your family. Today, you have made sure that your father would get the best treatment and your brother would be looked after for. You are a man and must leave your family behind sometimes for the sake of duty. Unfortunately for you, you have to face it sooner than most, but I see a bright future in you."

Jon thanked Lord Steffon for his praise and after some more pleasantries, he left the solar.

* * *

The lunch was roasted pig, boiled vegetables, and beer. Not a bad dish, although Jon liked cow's meat more than pig's.

Rhaegar asked him, "From the start of the lunch you have been in deep thought. You know it is usually me who thinks and you who pesters me, but our roles are now reversed."

Jon who came out of his musings looked at Rhaegar, the Prince was right, he was in his own thoughts more than ever. In truth, Jon was never a deep thinker, but he dreaded when he was going to tell Carl that he was going to leave him behind with the condition which father was in. After all, Carl was still a child and may not understand. He was thinking about how to break the news to not hurt Carl's feelings.

Rhaegar sighed, "You are thinking how to break it to the boy, aren't you? You should just be straight forward with him and explain the situation to him."

Jon almost yelled at Rhaegar, "He is only a child," then he noted that he yelled and lowered his voice, "I am sorry for raising my voice, my prince."

"Haven't you told me that your brother is more mature than others his age? You know many are even promised to each other when they are children or lose their parents or even become lords of their own right? He is not in a situation which many others have not found themselves over the course of time," Prince Rhaegar explained to Jon to ease his worries without mentioning the yelling.

Jon thought there were many, but they were not his little brother who he had vowed to his mother to protect at any cost on her deathbed, "You are right my prince, I should only talk to him and hope that he understands."

Prince muttered under his breath, "I hate boiled vegetables," this was one of the many things the two friends had in common. In fact, it was the first thing that caused their friendship to blossom that many years ago at Griffin's Roost. Jon also picked his fork and started to eat, he placed a boiled spinach in his mouth and wanted to spit it out, but he knew that one must eat boiled vegetables if he wanted to remain healthy, and he had to remain strong for the sake of his family and the Prince.

* * *

Jon moved through the maze of corridors at Storm's End to reach his brother's room, Carl was at front of the door and Jasper and Josef were next to him and speaking with him in a battered condition. They looked like they have been literally to a war.

Jon raised his voice a little bit and said jokingly to lighten the mood for the news he was going to deliver, "What has happened to these two, brother? They look like they come from a fierce battle!"

Carl looked at Jon with his cute smile and jumped at Jon. Jon hugged him and lifted him up. Carl was light, Jon thought he should eat more and build more muscles. Well, father was not going to any longer deny him training. If there was anything good coming out of leaving Carl behind at Storm's End, it was that Carl would be able to train and build his swordsmanship skills. After all, their society was, in essence, a martial one and major conflicts happened in lifetimes and minor conflicts were numerous.

Carl told Jon, "These two wanted to become knights and were training at the yard with other squires, so I asked Talea to let me help them. You know that they are like my own brother, Jon. How I could not help them?" Carl was saying all of these with such a straight face that Jon would have believed Carl's words and taken it for granted if he was not seeing the condition of the boys.

Jon rose a brow and looked at the boys, "Is it as Carl says?"

They both stuttered to answer him, Josef answered bitterly, "Yes, milord. Young lord helped us by asking permission from mother and arranging our training with the Iron Guard. He especially told them to not hold back."

Jon became amused, he truly wanted to know what was behind this story as he knew that his brother was not one to bully others, alas he was on a tight schedule. They would leave for Summerhall in less than two hours; so they could reach Felwood before nightfall. The prince wanted to send riders ahead of them at night to notify the castles of Dornish Marches; so they could start to raise their banners from early morning tomorrow. The prince wanted them on their way to the King's landing with the utmost speed possible.

Jon pinched the corner of Carl's cheeks. Carl cried in protest, "You were mischievous apparently, little mouse."

Carl told him in a hushed voice, "Don't call me that in front of them. They would not stop teasing me after you are gone!"

Jon told Carl seriously, "Order them to stop teasing you and they would. You are the lord. Always remember that. There are those who you should obey and those who should obey you. While I am away, you are a ward of Lord Baratheon and in his absence, his heir. You should behave as it befits a member of House Connington."

The smile on Carl's lips vanished, "You are leaving then? Why? What about the father? What about our home? You should take the responsibilities of father you know."

Jon placed Carl back on his two feet and explained to him, "There has been a small rebellion at the Crownlands, as a companion of the prince, I have to accompany him to the King's Landing. I would send a raven to Cousin Ronald to take care of Griffin's Roost as castellan also."

Carl protested, "You could not trust that snake! He would betray you if he could."

Jon scolded his brother, "You should not speak about your family like this. He is our kin, never forget that."

Carl told Jon, "I advise you brother to change, you should not trust someone simply because they are family. Family may betray you, especially if they are greedy, ambitious, and given an opportunity."

Jon did not know what to say to that. He decided to ignore the last words of Carl, "Take care of yourself and father, brother. If you need anything ask Maester Cressen or Lord Robert. Also, write to me frequently, I would also try to update you on the developments of the capital. As soon as I can I would come back to see you."

Jon saw that Carl looked upset, "You are a man now, act like it, little brother."

Carl gave a small smile to Jon, "I would try my best," then he added, "Don't do anything hasty. I am sure whatever situation is happening would resolve itself. I also think it is best to keep Ser Barristan at King's Landing when you go back."

Jon asked, "Why? Ser Barristan would accompany the prince wherever he goes."

Carl put a hand on the back of his neck and looked sheepish, "Well, I have seen how Ser Barristan fights and how brave he is. I think should he be given leave, he may do something reckless. I know because I deal with one such person daily. Trust me."

"I don't understand what you mean, but I would keep it in mind. Goodbye little brother," Jon hugged his brother again before his departure for the last time.

Carl also hugged Jon back firmly, Jon could feel that Carl was acting and he was trying to put a strong face in front of Jon. The control of his emotions was a result of the father's demands on his sons to keep a strong façade in any situation. While the mother was alive she disagreed with father on the matter and deemed it unhealthy for one's mental health. She argued with him a lot about this, and as a result, Jon had not developed a strong façade as Carl at such a young age.

Before leaving, Jon also gave a look to the twins which they would understand the meaning of. Jon wanted them to protect Carl against all things, they were given so many opportunities only because of that. Should they fail, they would lose more than their privileges, and Jon believed the boys knew that as well.

As Jon entered the courtyard, a stable boy gave him his prepared horse. The prince and others were already seated on their saddles. Jon mounted his horse. A voice called out to Jon and he looked up to the balcony to see Carl, "Goodbye Jon, Triumph and come back." Jon also waved at his brother.

The group moved out, Rhaegar told him, "Your brother seems the sweet type to me though. Like Viserys, not what you describe him."

Jon replied, "He is sweet and mature. It is hard to understand unless you talk to him."

Then Jon thought internally, 'However, I do not know which one is the façade which he puts on. A little of both, I think.'

Rhaegar said, "We would bring him to the King's Landing when the dusts are settled. do not worry. First, we have more immediate problems to deal with."

Jon also agreed and wanted to finish this rebellion business faster. He did not understand what Darklyns were thinking that they would achieve by taking the king hostage. If the king died, however, well … this was also a thought which was definitely treason and Jon should not even think about it. As his mind was playing with the idea of his prince becoming his king, the group rode toward the west.


	8. Chapter 8 - Carl 5

**I do not own any character or material in any way from ASOIAF. Any resemblance to any place or people in the real world is coincidental.**

* * *

**278, A Time With Stags I**

He was advancing in a tunnel which was dark and dim. In front of him was a man with grey hair. Although the man's hair indicated that he was past his young days, he moved akin to a vigorous and energetic youth with light but sure-footed steps. Behind him was another, but he did not know who the man was. The group of three advanced until they reached a heavy oak door. The man in front turned, his face was not familiar, however, there was something about him which gave Carl a feeling of familiarness.

The aged man gave some hand signals which Carl perceived as some form of sign language which usually knights used between each other. Carl had never bothered to learn that although he had seen it many times being done by his father's knights in corridors of Griffin's Roost. The group passed the door and walked a series of steps up. From this point onwards the man who was at the back previously had come in front and was guiding the other two. Despite many forks in the stairs and tunnels, the man knew where he was leading them which was apparent by the certainty which he moved. Finally, they reached a place where there was no light. Only and only darkness was to be seen and nothing else.

The man who was leading the other two whispered, "He is there."

Carl knew he was not the one spoking, but the person who he was seeing through his eyes replied, "How dare they to keep him here. No one would even place the worst kind of criminals in such a place!"

The aged man who was silent to this point lit a torch. The surrounding was filled with a bright red light. What Carl saw made him gasped. In front of him behind bars was a thin and starved man with long silver hair and beard which was going white. The man looked dirty with his own filth, but the most eye-catching thing about him was his eyes. They were deep purple, and Carl knew of only one family which had such eyes.

Carl opened his eyes to the darkness of his room. He got up from his bed while wearing a sleeping gown. There was a pitcher of water on a small table under the window of his room. After six moon's turn of Jon's departure for Kings Landing, the guests had all left to their respective castles and lands. After Lord Steffen's departure for Essos in search of a bride, Lord Robert had undertaken two unsuccessful campaigns against Kingswood Brotherhood. Up until now, they have proven to be elusive. Carl sat on a chair next to the window and poured water in a cup for himself. There was time still remaining until dawn, but one could already feel that the night was getting a little brighter. The sound of cling of steel upon steel under Carl's window could be heard though. There was only one ungodly person in this entire castle who would start sword practice at this hour, and it was no one but Robert. If it was anyone else, Carl would have surely tried to force them to go and practice someplace else at least; however, should he go to Robert complaining, he had a feeling he would also be dragged into the practice yard like Robert's poor friend, Eddard Stark.

"Have you find the corridor?" Carl spoke to the darkness of his room.

"No, young master. We have been unable to find such a location. There is no hidden passage, door, or corridor existing near the main hall."

Carl pondered and tapped his fingers on the table with a certain rhythm, it was the rhythm of a Myrish song which Talea sang for him when he was younger. "What about the maester's and lord's solar?"

"There is no indication of any hidden study or library that maester knows about. And Lord Steffen's solar is always guarded. We did not find any opportunity to infiltrate it discreetly."

Carl nodded more to himself than the shadow in the room, "You are dismissed," then he waved his hand.

The voice said, "We live to serve." And the shadow joined the darkness once again as if he was not present a moment ago.

In these six months, Carl had tried to find any clues regarding the ring, the corridor where he found the ring in, and the castle Storm's End itself with no luck. Besides some common known legend, there was nothing in the castle's library regarding the origins of it. Who built it and how they did it. Carl simply knew something was going on in this castle. The outer walls, they were special. He could not pinpoint it, but he had found a new sense since when he got his previous life memories back. The outer walls felt like a void in the perception of his new sight. Nothing was so hollow, even stones and water in streams gave a feeling to him. And the most mysterious of all of them was the ring.

Carl had experimented with the ring, he had removed it to see the effects it would have on him, and there was none. It was as if this bronze ring was only a bronze ring and nothing else, 'maybe it is.'

Despite all of this the number of his dreams which were weird had increased, they no longer were bound only to the full moon. He almost had them every time he slept, some even when he closed his eyes for some minutes during the day, but they were usually only of Griffin's Roost. He could see his home and his room in them. Each time there was something different about a dream with the other one although they were literally the same. It was as if the dreams were subjected to the passage of time.

Carl did not understand these dreams correctly, but he was guessing not only they were not meaningless, but they were not truly only dreams as they even could sometimes occur to him when he closed his eyes in the day. He thought, 'The dreams are somehow connected with this new sensory feeling.'

Finally, the rays of the sun could be seen from the east. Carl decided to leave his room for the day. He believed based on his latest dream or vision, things in Duskendale would be resolved pretty soon. He only hoped that the king to not literally make it. He did not have any high hops especially for Rhaegar, but he was better than a mad king and he could be influenced more easily by Carl. Carl did not have the ear of the Prince, but his brother had, and he had the ear of his brother. Some childish suggestions or ideas could always be planted in other's minds if you played your role right.

The father was still sick and in a comma. He was kept alive by Maester Cressen's miraculous hands and care. Carl knew that keeping someone alive in this age in a comatose state was not easy. 'A perk of being a rich lord, I guess.'

After changing clothes and wearing a green woolen cloth with leather pants, Carl left the room. He went straight to the kitchen and eat a bowl of porridge with some bread and milk. The servants had slowly gotten used to the small boy who came to the kitchen to eat breakfast in the morning there. He was becoming part of the background and it meant that he was starting to be ignored. The first bit of news was actually heard by him in the day from the gossip of servant girls like that. Although most they spoke with each other was mundane things like which squire had stronger muscles or was better with sword or at jousting. 'For them marrying to a future knight was a huge thing. Some could luck out and get a decent guy after all, but most would find that despite even giving birth to a child, they would not even be accepted as simple mistresses and their children mere bastards who would be scorned if acknowledged at all.'

Carl was the sole guest of the library most days, even Maester Cressen did not come here most of the time as Robert and Stannis were practically counted among men and not tutored anymore unless they asked for it themselves. 'I doubt Robert could count beyond his fingers and Stannis … less said the better.'

Although Carl had failed to find any advanced books on mathematics, the castle and its architecture, and sorcery, he had turned toward the next best thing which he could find and that was journals of some members of Durrandon kings. There was a particularly interesting person among them, King Arlan III. He had recorded his campaign against Riverlands, Reach, and Vale. He was the one who expanded the domain of Storm Kings up to the neck and kept it. His journal was a descriptive record of each battle he fought in, the number and quality of his and his enemies' troops, and their compositions. The details even had sketches of grounds where the battles happened. He had even written about the tactics he used not only during the battles but also during marches and periods of the campaign outside of battles. He had recorded even politics and schemes not only implanted by him, but also by his enemies. The records were so vivid that Carl could even imagine the battles. 'To think that such a journal was getting dust in a seclude section of this library.'

In general, the library of Storm's End showed the strong marshal cultural and Spartan lifestyle of lords of this castle over generations. Although the number of books was limited, even less than the ones available at Griffin's Roost, they were mostly focused on manuals of martial training, battle tactics, sieges, and much more. The quality of works was also outstanding considering the time and age they were in. Carl believed maybe only the vault of Citadel contained any better books regarding warfare than the library of Storm's End. Carl was no Sun Tzu, but as the opportunity had presented it to himself he was using it to the fullest.

The newest chapter of the journal wrote about a crushing defeat of the king's forces in Fairmarket. In response to this defeat, Arlan III did not lose hope and retreated back beyond Red Fork of the Trident and successfully held the forks of the Red Fork against the superior forces of the coalition of Riverland lords until he managed to reorganize his forces and get additional support from Maidenpool and Duskendale. Afterward, he ferried his reinforcement upriver on Green Fork and allowed the coalition to cross the Red Fork to engage him in a fake retreat. Although dangerous, he managed to do the timing right and his reinforcement hit the back of the coalition forces which had not crossed the Red Fork yet. In the chaos which ensued afterward, his forces by using superior tactics in defensive formations which they were trained in it for more than three years before the start of the campaign, held their lines and turned the tide of the battle also on the other front. This decisive victory led to the successful conquest of Riverlands by Arlan III. However, the journal explained the peacetime tactics which Arlan III used to consolidate his rule. He not only employed marriage alliances but also whispered a combination of right and false rumors to create division among ruling lords. He also managed to win the loyalty of many of younger noble sons and knight by generosity both in attitude and wealth. He dined, joked, laughed, and trained with them without holding anyone in contempt because of past confrontations between them.

The door of the library opened and Maester Cressen entered, "You could always be found here at this dusty library, my boy. You do like books, don't you?"

Upon seeing Maester Cressen, Carl beamed a sunny smile at him, "Maester! I thought you would not come today. It is always good to have you as a companion here."

"Child, you should go more to the training ground to play with other children your age. You could also ask for a little training. You are almost of the age to start lighter training. When Lord Steffen is back, I am sure he would see to it and you would not find so much free time on your hand anymore."

So, there was news from Lord Baratheon Carl thought, "Has there been any news from his lordship? It has been almost six months."

The maester slowly moved a chair and sat next to Carl, then he looked at what Carl was reading and nodded to himself, "Yes, there has been. Lord Steffen has mentioned that they are coming back," he maxed for some time, "He has not found a bride though, the king would not be pleased when he hears of the news," then he almost whispered under his breath, "If he gets out alive that is."

Maester saw the sad look of Carl's face because there would not be any bride, after all, Carl would have been among the first to see the possible future queen had Lord Steffen succeeded, "However, my lord has written that he has found a fool who would even make Stannis laugh for our court."

Carl looked surprised genuinely and thought, 'When the sun sets from the west, summer lasts forever, and the world ends, he might smile.' Bet he told the maester, "It would be good to see Lord Stannis laugh. I like to see that."

"As do I," the maester said, "Let us now continue your lesson. We have covered a good portion of history regarding house Durrandon and Baratheon already. Today I like for us to discuss something else."

"What would we discuss then?" Carl asked, 'I hope we move to more stimulating stuff. As useful as it is, learning about grudges of this house and that house over centuries is boring.'

Maester Cressen stroke his beard while having a thoughtful face, "I see that you are reading the journal of Arlan III. I myself read it years ago when I became the maester of this castle. Let us educate you a little on warfare. Young boys love these things a lot."

Maester stood up and went into a corner of the library where contained old documents. Carl believed they were ledgers of administration of the Stormlands and they looked old, but not as old as the journal. Maybe a century or a little more at most.

With ledgers at hand, the maester came back and put them in front of Carl. After cleaning them of any dust, he told Carl to open and read them. He asked Carl to tell his findings to him.

Upon inspecting them, Carl understood that it was actually an attempt on the census of the lands of Stormlands dating to 140 AC. The numbers were mostly speculation on populations of villages, towns, and farmlands of different regions of Stormlands. The taxes of these regions in goods and coins over a period of six years during both winter and summer were also recorded.

The other ledgers were tax ledgers of Stormlands again, but this time over a ten year period between 120 to 129 Ac. By reading the ledgers more carefully, Carl noted a significant decrease overall on average in the taxes of the second period.

Although the taxes were lower in net worth, the overall amount of taxes in coins was higher. Upon closer inspection, it showed that this coin came from the wool trade with Kings Landing. This amount of income from wool could only indicate that most of the limited arable lands of the Stormlands were put to pasture instead of farming for grain. Carl thought, 'The grain is more profitable for lords in this age. They lack machines and techniques necessary to process wool in large scale, besides there would be famine if they did that.'

But the records showed no import of grain in any significant amounts. Carl concluded that the population was supported without grain importation then. The only conclusion was that the population was much lower in this second period. It would also explain why the lands were put to pasture for sheep. There was not enough manpower to farm all available land.

"Have you reached anything yet, my boy. Mayhaps your history lessons were not enough and I have been mistaken." maester asked.

Carl went into deep thinking. This is like a puzzle. Was there a famine or war? Carl remembered that there was a gap between the two sets of ledgers. Carl remembered that the gap matched with the years of the war of dance of the dragons between the green and black factions of Targaryens. It also explained why a war inflicted a casualty as bad as a horrible famine or plague. Many dragons fought in that war.

Carl put a cocky smile and said, "Would you tell me more about the rules of succession then?"

Maester Cressen looked surprised for a moment, "What rule of …," then he said, "Clever boy. You could say it like that. A succession crisis caused all of it. But, why did I showed them to you?"

Carl had a guess but put the innocent face of a child on. He was a clever child, but still a child after all. The Maester asked him, "How did you find out I wanted to speak about the dance of the dragons?"

Carl replied, "The numbers. They showed taxes of both periods in goods and coin. By comparing them I found out there must have been a serious decline in population which forced the lords to use their lands for grazing of the sheep as it needs less labor. Which shows there was not enough labor available for farming."

Maester Cressen said, "True. And the dates had also tipped it off. Hmm…"

Carl nodded under the maester's gaze.

"It shows that you are smart, I guess. If you were Robert or Stannis, I would not have shown you this as they could not have found out what you had. However, You are young and it shows. Sometimes your cleverness makes me forget your age." Maester sighed then asked, "What does a population decline of such scale mean though?"

Carl was hesitant, "They died in the war, didn't they?"

Maester Cressen nodded, "Many did. In fact, it was not probably the war itself that killed most of the smallfolk directly. The famine resulting from the burning of the fields and closure of the trade routes. Stormlands lacks any good port which could help to sustain it at such times. My boy, nobbles play their wars, they are mostly ransomed and pardoned afterward by giving some of their lands and coin, but the smallfolk… many of them die and those who survive the war and avoid death lose everything. I wanted to tell you this and nothing better than numbers could actually show it."

As the maester was stroking his beard, 'There is more to his story; some history in the past. If only I knew where he has come from before becoming a maester,' Carl thought.

"The numbers in a book are cold but they can show you many things. I have a feeling you would become such a person who can read them but remember these numbers actually represent lives," After that, there was a heavy air in the room. The maester got up and asked Carl in an unyielding voice, "Promise me, my boy. That you would not abuse your gifts."

Carl was almost bewildered by the behavior of the Maester Cressen. It was too out of character for him, however, he meekly said in a low scared voice, "I promise, maester."

"I am sorry, child. I scared you, didn't I? Our lesson for today is finished you can go."

Carl after being dismissed got up and left the room as fast as he could. Maester was murmuring something under his breath. 'Weird guy. I thought he was one of the normal guys in this castle. Maybe celibacy has a negative effect on people's minds. I should cross the Citadel from my possible future paths it seems.'

At the courtyard as Carl was going his way to find the twins, a familiar voice called him out.

"Come here, boy. Let me introduce you to Ned properly." Carl turned and saw that it was Robert who was calling him. Carl approached the duo.

"Greetings my lords. How has the training been? Lord Robert has a strong hand I guess, nay Lord Eddard?" Carl asked, 'and stronger appetite for wine and girls.'

"Don't be so uptight, boy. You would become like Stannis. I swear he has a stick up in his ass. Only seven know how hard it is to speak with …," Robert said, but Ned stopped him.

"It is not proper or good to speak about your brother like that, Robert. Be more mindful of your words especially in front of Carl."

Robert looked at Ned surprised, "You not only know him but also call him by his first name? It took you six bloody months to call me by my first name. What has happened to my Ned? Where is he?" then Robert started to laugh boomingly.

Carl studied Ned's features. Ned was grimacing. 'He is like Stannis but is softer at the edges. I guess in Robert's eyes, the Stark boy is at the same time so alike and unlike his brother. He is the brother that he wants, but does not have.'

Carl decided to change to topic of their discussion before it could get out of hand, "Has there been any success in your campaign against the outlaws, my lord?"

"Call me Robert, boy. And the bastards are like sand. When you think you have them in your hand, they slip away."

Carl saw that Ned was also nodding and had a tired look. This could not go on for any longer and with Lord Steffen returning it would not look good for Robert to be unable to finish the job. Carl thought, 'I could give them a hand, then. Those bastards are responsible for the condition of the father after all.'

Carl looked thoughtful on the surface, then told them, "Apparently the smallfolk are helping them. If they were not, you would have found and crushed them already."

Robert was taken aback, then he tightened his fist around his sword. Carl saw the rage being built in his face. 'Should I let him go now, he would burn the whole forest down and get himself killed in the process probably. It may even stop the rebellion from ever happening.' Carl thought. However, he continued, "You could always ambush them, though. There was a book I read once, it contained a record of an ambush in a forest …"

Robert snorted and cooled down when faced with an eight years old trying to look sage, "Bah. They are the ones who would ambush us, not us ambushing them. When we try to find them, they set traps for us. You should come to the training ground to practice. Some things are not in those dusty books."

Eddard Stark, however, was pondering upon what Carl told them, Carl decided to be more specific, "They are essentially outlaws despite their claims of justice and righteousness to the smallfolk. Should the news of some taxes being sent for the king get to their ear, they may try to attack it. All bandits are after coin, like a fox who is after a chicken."

"There is no tax to be sent, though." Was what Robert murmured. Eddard elbowed Robert and said, "We could send a fake one. When they try to attack it, we would deal with them. Still, they might not take the bait and how are we going to hide our own knights? They would not come if there are too many!"

It was a legitimate concern, but unusual solutions were available and Carl gave an idea, "In the carriage which is supposed to carry gold, there could be armored knights with crossbows. When the bandits attack, shoot them down. Afterwards, the knights would engage bandits in the forest."

Robert was thoughtful, "I don't like crossbows and some parts are still not good enough I think." As the duo started to discuss details between themselves, Carl excused himself and went to find his own friends.


End file.
